Making Up For Lost Time
by MamaSpobette
Summary: A series of one shots. Takes place during the missing 6 months before the June 5th premiere. Spoby fluffy times, with some other beloved characters added to the mix.
1. Chapter 1

**Well, here I am again. It was suggested that I write**** about Spencer and Toby during those 6 months we'll be missing out on when the show comes back June 5th. I decided to take up this request and write a few one-shots. They won't be in any particular order, just Spoby loving as it pops into my head. In comparison to my other story, After All That We've Been Through, most of these one-shots will be pretty light. **

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_A Couple That Builds Forts Together, Stays Together_ **  
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"So, why exactly are we doing this?"

Toby asked, looking around at the mess he and Spencer had made in her bedroom. White fleecy sheets with floral patterns were cloaked across various pieces of furniture. The rocking chair he had built for Spencer was stacked on Spencer's usual red chair, yet another blanket dangled across it in order to add some volume to the work before his eyes.

Prior to this moment, he and Spencer had spent the entire afternoon together following a friend of her family's wedding. He was pleasantly surprised when Spencer called him up that morning and begged him to attend with her, as her date. Toby had been thrilled to go and spend time with her. The ceremony was a small one, outdoors at an apple orchard. He and Spencer had snuck off after the ceremony and played hide and go seek between rows of apple trees. He had climbed one, she had come looking for him, and he had thrown an apple at her. Of course, when she looked up, she wasn't too thrilled, but he simply laughed, reached down his hands and pulled her up, despite her objections that she was in a dress. The love birds had stayed up there for a good two hours, eating apples, kissing, holding each other. They had nearly fallen out of the tree at one point due to their kissing growing more heated by the moment.

It was half past 7pm now, the early summer air wafting in through Spencer's windows, complete with the scent of fresh sheets, his cologne and Spencer's vanilla body spray. It smelled absolutely glorious. Toby reckoned he could stay in Spencer's room with her all day, just doing nothing, especially after the eventful afternoon they had just had.

Removing Toby from his thoughts, Spencer put her hands on her hips and clicked her tongue. She was still clad in her short white dress, sans shoes. She had pulled her perfectly curled hair from it's bun and shaken it out. Toby couldn't keep his eyes off of her as she draped a side of her comforter over her computer chair.

"Well, I don't know what _you're_ doing, Toby, but I am crafting the world's greatest fort. And you're supposed to be constructing this little peace of heaven with me because I'm your girlfriend and you have no choice."

Playfully batting his crystal blue eyes at her, Toby tutted, knowing full well he could easily leave, even if she tried to stop him. He could bench press her over his head effortlessly, there was no way she could stop him...not that he wanted to leave. His heart would never let him.

"Oh, what am I doing? I'm not only admiring my beautiful girlfriend as she breaks her own rules of having a compulsively tidy room, but I'm also serving as your on sight supervisor. It's a very important job, actually. Not as easy as it looks. Very, very tiring."

"I see..." Spencer snorted back, "Well, what do you think?"

Toby's eyes were still stuck on Spencer and he made no effort to tear them away.

"I think it provides a breathtaking view."

Spencer glanced up at him, her heart melting with the corny delivery of his words. She stood up and maneuvered through the sheets, carefully not to ruin her masterpiece. Reaching out with her arms slightly above her chin, she nodded at Toby with a gentle smile. He knew exactly what she wanted. Gently positioning his hands under her armpits, he easily lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his torso, giggling about how unladylike like she has been all day.

Pressing her nose against his and rubbing them together, her eyes fluttered shut as their lips gently brushed together. She opened her eyes, pushing herself further into him, daring him to really kiss her, a playful smile on her face. He did. Spencer savored that moment, pulling back and resting her forehead against his. Toby sat down on her bed, running his hands along the material on the sides of her dress. Spencer brushed her fingers along Toby's collarbone, loosening his tie.

"Do you want to come inside?" she whispered.

Toby raised a brow, pulling back, giving her a questionable look, "Uh...what?

Letting out a sharp snort, Spencer shook her head at Toby, "The fort. Inside the fort."

Turning his head to pay mind to the fort she had so cleverly put together, Toby decided to tease her. He squeezed her thighs before once again locking his eyes on her coffee ones.

"Mmm...I don't know. It doesn't look very...stable. What if there's an earthquake?"

Spencer poked his ribs and then his nose with each word she delivered, "Hey hey now, carpenter! I'll have you know I am _very_ skilled in the sheet department." Pushing her lips against Toby's ear, Spencer's tone instantly turned into nothing more than a hiss, "It was designed with foreseeable earthquakes in mind. I think you'll find it can withstand any catastrophe."

Another eye brow raise and slight grunt from Toby as he stood up, Spencer still wrapped around him. The look on his face was comical, and Spencer did her best to keep a straight expression as he stuttered.

"Spencer, you can't...s-s-say things like that and not expect m-me t-to well to...I don't know if you noticed but I am a guy." Toby murmured anxiously.

Pecking his lips, Spencer mocked his expression.

"You're a guy? What? All this time I thought I was a lesbian. Damn. Aria will be sorely disappointed."

Toby sniggered, "Mmm hmm. Okay smart ass. Let's get lost in some sheets."

This time Spencer raised an eyebrow, her eyes locking with his as she grinned at him, biting her lip. Knowing that she had Toby thinking about the less than innocent version of her plans, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to torture him a little bit. She slowly and deliberately slid down his body until her bare feet hit her floor, her hands at his hips. Toby groaned as he felt her body move down against his, cursing her inwardly. He leaned down and kissed her, getting lost in the moment. He groaned again, this time in disappointment, as Spencer pulled back mid kiss, but soon found himself gulping for air as she verbally began her torture.

"There will be time for that later. Right now I meant you coming inside my fort."

"L-later? So, there _will_ be a later? With us...together...in...in bed? Or truck...or...chair?"

Spencer had to admit that watching Toby squirm was hilarious. She and Toby had been enjoying their summer freedom ever since -A was revealed and they put their past problems behind them to start anew. It didn't take long for them to drift back to their old habits, and so often did their goodnight kisses at her door or in his truck grew out of hand. They had been pushing boundaries each time they were given an ounce of privacy- which didn't come often these days with Melissa's pregnancy approaching its end. Spencer was the last of her friends to remain a virgin, and she and Toby had talked about her comfort level after the last time they watched a movie together in her dimly lit room barely missed the cutoff of second base. Toby was never one to push her or make her feel uneasy about their levels of affection, but she still found it to be hilarious that he was reacting this way. Deciding to put him out of his misery, Spencer took his hand and swung it between them.

"You're so cute." Spencer lead him towards the entrance of her fort.

"Okay," she whispered, getting down on all fours, "You'll have to crawl, big guy."

Toby crouched down, but he didn't seem to confident in fitting into the designated "door".

"C'mon. If I can fit, so can you. Don't stare at my ass," she giggled, crawling inside.

"Right, because you're huge," Toby said sarcastically, "Spencer, I'm twice your size. These kinds of things are for tiny people."

"Oh, then maybe I should call Aria and she can have a personal VIP tour."

Toby was in there in an instant, practically in Spencer's lap.

"What do you think?" Spencer asked, extending her arms to display her hard work.

Toby glanced around, "I think these sheets are really nice. Is this Egyptian cotton?"

Spencer hit his shoulder. He smiled, taking her hand in his and kissing it, "It is the best fort I've ever seen."

Spencer was satisfied with his answer, "Thank you."

"Of course," Toby mentioned, "It is the only fort I've ever had the pleasure of being inside."

"Wh...you never made forts as a child?"

Toby shook his head sadly, "With a dad like mine? No. I was under cars half of my life with oil stains on my clothes."

Spencer squeezed his hand, caressing his thumb with her smaller one, "Well, I can be your first."

Feeling her cheeks heat up and noticing how wide Toby's eyes grew, she shook her head, "Fort. I can be your first _fort buddy_. This can be yours. And mine. It can be ours. No oil stains, cars, or the world's most neglecting parents allowed. Just us."

Toby smiled lovingly at his girlfriend, before letting his eyes explore the interior of the fort she had slaved over.

"How long do you plan on keeping this up for, babe? Because I'm not sure it's storm proof."

"What, like my ceiling is non existent? I'd say this fort is fairly sturdy, as long as we don't stand up. And I plan on keeping it up for a while. Forever maybe."

"Forever?"

She looked over at Toby bashfully, "Yeah. It's my fort. It's my safe haven. A place for me to just hide away from the world for awhile. It may not look strong, but it is." she gazed him up and down, illustrating her double meaning, "It can withstand anything thrown its' way."

Toby didn't seem to catch her underlying tone and meaning and continued admiring Spencer's work, nodding his head.

Spencer looped her arm through his, resting her head on his shoulder, "You are my fort, Toby. So, I plan on keeping it forever. I plan on keeping _you_ forever. Unless you object."

Toby kissed the top of her hair, his chin moving against her scalp as he replied, his voice raw with emotion, "As if I'd object to that. You're my fort too. You're my escape. I love you."

Spencer closed her eyes, sighing happily, "Good. because I love you."

"So, now what?" Toby asked after a beat.

"Now what, what?" Spencer hummed, drumming her fingers on his palm.

"What do we do? I mean...I'm new to this whole fort adventures thing. What is standard fort procedures? What do you do in them?"

"Well," Spencer sighed, "You read in them. You play in them. You can have tea parties in them, but lucky for you, I won't make you do that. You tell stories in them with flashlights. You make impromptu finger puppets. You hide in them. You sleep in them."

She motioned for him to lay down, "And now...we do _this_."

Granting his girlfriend's request, Toby reclined back, but Spencer cursed, stopping him.

"Hold on..."

She crawled out, Toby sitting up on his elbows and watching her leave.

The light went out before she blindly climbed back in, running up Toby's legs, "Marco?"

He chuckled, feeling around for her, "Polo."

Toby could hear her distinct giggle growing nearer and couldn't fight the larger than life grin from decorating his face.

"Marco..."

He could feel her breath against his skin now, her arms on either side of him, her hair tickling his neck. Cupping her face with one hand, the other wrapping around her slender waist, he let his voice take his turn.

"Polo." he rasped against her lips, before kissing her slowly.

Their lips molded together perfectly and Spencer could feel butterflies forming at the pit of her stomach.

"Mmm," Toby moaned, "I think forts have become my new favorite thing."

"I thought I was your favorite thing?" Spencer teased with a pout, her eyes adjusting to the dark to look down at him.

He kissed her again, harder this time, "You are." he assured gruffly.

Spencer blindly reached out for the lantern she had snuck in, her lips still attached to Toby's.

Suddenly, the tent was illuminated with a star cut lantern, lighting the inside up and making their bodies glow in the dark. Spencer rolled over, pulling him with her, their kissing continuing until it grew into a series of longer kisses, like always. When air became a necessity again, they laid back on the floor, admiring the star cutouts, hands intertwined. An hour passed and the couple were comfortably wrapped up in the other.

"Okay," Spencer giggled, "Guess this one."

Her fingers knotted together as she made a shadow.

Toby laughed, "A devil?"

Spencer snorted with laughter, "No! A bunny. A devil?"

"Well it looked like one! You call that a bunny?''

Set on showing Spencer the proper way to form a bunny, he bent her fingers for her, pretending to make it hop, "There's a bunny."

She hit him playfully, not even objecting when he trapped her hand against his chest and kept it prisoner there so she could feel his heart beating for her.

"Whatever, wise guy."

Toby looked at her and shook his head, "Hey, at least my dog was better than your attempt at a bunny."

"That was not a dog. That was a mysterious gurgling creature. Or a rock."

"You still got it right."

"Yeah, after five guesses and you making barking noises."

Knowing he was defeated, Toby settled on a low, "Pssht."

Loving how playful their banter could be, but knowing that it was growing later by the hour, he poked her ribs. "What time is it?" he asked with a yawn.

With a glance at her watch, Spencer anchored her head into his shoulder, "Almost 11."

He ran his hands up and down her back, giving her goosebumps, "I should probably be heading home now. We've had quite the day."

Spencer pouted, sticking out her bottom lip, "Must you?"

Toby grabbed her bottom lip with his fingers gently, "Spencer. Don't stick that bottom lip out or I'll have to bite it."

Always one to defy the rules and up the game, Toby rolled his eyes as Spencer purposely leaned closer, sticking out her lower lip even more. Happy to oblige, Toby leaned in. She was practically begging him now, her fingers digging into his stomach. Taking her bottom lip in his, Toby bit down, soft enough not to hurt her, but enough to elicit a slight moan from Spencer. He drew back with her lip still between his teeth, before planting a soft smooch on both of her pouty lips. They kissed again, but he pulled back and crawled out of the fort, Spencer following suit as he put on his shoes and leather jacket.

"Will you come back tomorrow?" she asked, her tone hopeful.

He nodded, raising her chin with his thumb, "Will you have me back tomorrow?"

"I'll have you back tomorrow...and the day after...and for always." Spencer breathed, locking her fingers around his wrists.

The smell of Toby's cologne invaded Spencer's nostrils as her boyfriend smiled down at her, before kissing her goodbye. She hugged him tightly, hesitant to let him go.

"Text me when you get home?" she asked worriedly.

"Promise. Get some sleep, will you? Don't spend too much time in those sheets by yourself. You might get lost and then I'll have to send out a search party."

She giggled, biting her thumb nail, "Yes, sir. Goodnight."

As Toby turned on his heels and provided her with a wink before exiting, Spencer sighed at the loss of contact. One thing was for sure, she hated watching him go but oh how she loved the view watching him leave.

About an hour passed and she unzipped her dress, stepping out. She settled for one of Toby's button up shirts, tugging over her head. She got ready for bed and climbed onto it before finally deciding what the heck and climbing into her fort. Settling down on her stomach, turning on the lamp, Spencer inhaled Toby's cologne on the spot where he had layed with her. She looked down at her phone, willing him to call via brain wavelength. Finally, she gave up and closed her eyes.

Sleep was falling upon her, despite the rain pouring outside, the smell wafting through her windows. She heard footsteps approaching her room, thinking it was probably just her parents. Turning her body around, she heard her door slip open and then shut and froze in complete fear. She gulped, drawing in her knees to her chest, holding her breath.

Grabbing her phone, punching in Toby's number, Spencer silently prayed Toby would answer. It rang and rang...

His ringing echoed in her room. Spencer opened her eyes, awe on her face.

Sure enough, Toby peeked his head in, climbing through, shirtless, in his pajama bottoms.

"TOBY!" she scolded, "You scared me!"

"I couldn't sleep." he apologized, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Spencer looked him over, wrapping her arms around him as she knelt down in front of him, "You're all wet."

"It's raining out." he said softly.

Using her girlfriend senses, Spencer sensed that something was off with him.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently, cupping a cheek with one hand.

Toby nodded, "I am now." He settled on the ground, extending his arms for her to join him.

Spencer placed her head on his bare chest, "Will you be providing me with the extreme honor of staying with me tonight?"

Toby ran his hand through her knotted hair, squeezing her shoulder, "Can I?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

"Thank you."

"You know what else you do in forts?" Spencer asked softly.

"Hmm?" Toby asked absentmindedly as his fingers massaged her scalp.

Satisfied with the feeling of his fingers in her hair, Spencer cuddled into him, "You dream."

Toby looked down at her, "Why would I need to do that when I have you?"

The fluttering of her heart and the smile on her face illustrated just how in love she really was with him. Some days she couldn't believe that this sweet boy in her arms was really hers, that they were back together, that they had gone from despising the bane of one another's existence to falling helplessly in love. The small kisses Toby was leaving behind in her hair snapped Spencer from her wandering mind. Their arms wrapped around one another, Spencer closed her eyes, "You're the sweetest dream I've ever had."

"Then let's never wake up." Toby whispered back tenderly.

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**Feel free to hit that review button ;) More to come. **


	2. The Day the Scholar Became a Water Bug

**Wow! Thank you guys so much for the stellar reviews! Here's some more ****fluff. Viva la Spoby. xo. **_  
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_The Day the Scholar Became a Waterbug_

"Come on, just jump!" Toby called out, laughing as Spencer yelped, dipping her toe into the water.

"It's freezing!" she cried back, folding her arms across her chest.

Toby pursed his lips, shaking his head, "Spence. Get in here."

"I wouldn't exactly call me Michael Phelps. I"m afraid I'm not proficient when it comes to swimming."

"What? Should we have invested in some floaties on our drive up?" Toby teased.

Toby and Spencer had planned this getaway for over a week now. Once Spencer's last class was excused, she dashed to her locker, grabbing her duffel bag and not even bothering to say goodbye to any of the girls. Once she saw Toby's truck parked out front, she was the first student to barge through the main doors. She practically dived into his truck, not even bothering with the door, jumping in through the window. He had teased her for a good twenty minutes about it after.

Spencer had swatted at him, resting her head in his lap, "There was a bee." she lied.

"Mm hm. Sure there was. You were excited to see me. Just admit it."

She had blushed as he had wrapped his arm around her and pulled her as close as her seat-belt would permit, "My acceleration and ninja dive may or may not have had to do with the anticipation that's been building up all week in regards to this trip."

Now, the sun was high in the sky, birds chirping nearby as strands of yellow grass rocked back and forth to the splashing of the lake water. The pine trees nearby smelled glorious, reminding Toby of Christmas...only the weather was scorching. Spencer had shamelessly watched him strip down to his boxers. They had not originally planned on taking a swim in the lake near Spencer's family cabin, but with the uncharacteristically hot weather, they both agreed last minute, running hand and hand down the dock.

Spencer stood near the edge, still hesitant, clad in her undergarments.

Toby was grinning wildly at her, reaching for her foot, "Suddenly your anticipation has turned into hesitation. C'mon babe, don't be afraid. I'll be your lifeguard."

She bit into her lip, her eyes avoiding his, "I never really learned how to swim."

His eyes swelled and his jaw sunk like an anchor, "You have spent every summer here since you were seven and you _never_ learned how to swim?"

"Hey, Emily's the water bug. Not me."

"Right, you're the book bug. Spence, I promise that you'll adjust to the temperature once you're settled in." Toby said softly, still rubbing his foot, "I can make you into a water bug. Here. Jump. I'm right here."

Wiggling her toes, Spencer inwardly debated his generous offer.

"Will you catch me?" she asked bashfully.

As if she was asking if Walmart sold walls or something of the sort, Toby graced her with a look that simply read DUH.

"Spencer," he said, in his loving tone, "I'll never _not_ catch you. Now, get in here before I turn into a raisin."

She backed up a bit, guffawing apprehensively. Suddenly, she was running, hooting with excitement, "Carpe Diem!"

Once she had plunged into the light green water, Spencer came up hemming for air, looking around for Toby. Batting her arms around, she began treading water, "Toby? Toby! Toby!"

She began to panic, bobbing up and down with the waves she had created in her jump. She felt two hands run up her bare legs, hips, ribs and finally, Toby's arms around her from behind as he whispered "Boo" into her ear. Spencer turned in his arms, noticeably peeved.

"TOBY!" she splashed at him, "You were _supposed_ to be my safety net! I could have drowned!"

He splashed her back, both of them laughing.

"You're not funny!" she giggled, trying to settle back into a serious composure.

Their water war ceasing, Toby pulled Spencer into him, wrapping her legs around him to keep her afloat, "I knew you'd be okay. You're Spencer Hastings; you can adapt to anything. I was right. You were treading water. Congratulations are in order, because you've passed lesson number one."

Spencer huffed. "While I appreciate your credulity, I'm still semi-furious with you. What if I had hit my head? Or sunk to the bottom? Or got tangled up in water plants? Or..."

"Gotten eaten by a muskellunge?" he joked.

"Toby." she growled, "Wait...a what?"

Caressing the skin above her back, he grinned affectionately at his bickering girlfriend with her hair all around her face, " We call them muskies. Used to run into them all the time visiting my Uncle David in Wisconsin. Haven't you seen those things? I'm serious. They're enormous and range anywhere from two to five feet. They could suck Aria up with a single gulp, I'd reckon."

Cursing herself for lacking knowledge on pike fish, Spencer could feel her eyes growing the size of tea-saucers. She was scared now, looking around frantically, clinging to him, her arms around his neck.

Toby of course found this to be nothing less of humorous, throwing his head back to laugh. He grew serious for a moment, running his free hand along her foot, tugging on it.

The scream Spencer projected was that of someone being massacred and Toby wouldn't have been surprised if he woke up without his hearing in the morning. "A MUSKIE!"

He laughed again, and the game was up.

"Sorry!" He snickered, "I just couldn't help myself."

Spencer raised a brow, moving her legs and kicking her feet. Toby's eyes shot out of their sockets, looking down.

With a wicked smile, Spencer pushed back from him, "Sorry." she mocked, "I just...couldn't help _myself_. I call that instant karma."

In horror, Toby watched as his Hanes' boxers floated up next to him.

"Ohhh!" he growled, "You sly little fox!"

She was chuckling hysterically now, her giggles coming out in short little snorts, that under normal circumstances, Toby would have deemed adorable, but right now found irksome.

"Wait," he said in a scruff tone, reaching for his floating dignity and trying to put the boxers back on.

Her face was bright red from laughing so hard that Toby wondered if she was even obtaining any air. Her laughs had fallen silent and he could see moisture at the edges of her cheeks.

But, then he was swimming towards her, and briskly. Spencer gasped, trying to reverse out of his path of vengeance. She resembled a hound with her doggy paddling ways.

"Don't you dare dunk me under, Toby Cavanaugh!"

He caught up to her, grabbing her hips and pulling her back to him, his breath thick against her neck, "I wouldn't ever do that, babe."

Spencer gulped as suddenly she felt a draft...

Toby pushed back this time, having scored victory in his plot for revenge.

"TOBY!" she scolded, scampering to grab her bra as it began gliding away from her chest.

"But I would do that." Toby finalized smugly, licking his lips.

Spencer fixed her situation and swam towards him, trying very hard to reach him. He swam backwards every time he was within finger brushing, teasing her.

"Toby, pleaseeeeeee" she whined.

"Please what?"

"Stop."

"Stop what?" Toby grinned, knowing fully well he was pushing her buttons.

"Swimming!" Spencer heaved.

"You want me to stop swimming?" he asked.

"Yes!" Spencer moaned.

"Okay." he said simply, freezing where he was, dramatically letting his body sink until only his eyes were in view.

"NO!" she bellowed, lunging at Toby and pulling at him by his shoulders.

He bobbed back up, letting her wrap herself around him.

"Take a breath." Toby said, leaning in to kiss her forehead.

Taking both of her hands in his, waiting until she took a breath, he paused before completely submersing their bodies under the water. He found her instantly underwater, finding her lips and connecting them with his.

They came back up for air, Spencer laughing with pride, "I DID IT! I was able to breathe under water without a self contained breathing apparatus course under my belt and minus a regulator! Toby! Do you know what this means?"

He smiled proudly at his girlfriend, "That you passed your swimming lesson. Congratulations. You're now an unofficial, certified water bug. Emily would be impressed. I know I am."

She cooed at him, leaning in to plant kisses all over his damp face, "Well, I only had the best unofficial non-certified instructor. You know what else this means?"

"Hmm?" Toby asked, pressing his forehead against hers as he spun them slowly in the water.

"I can kiss you for a really long time."

He didn't even have time to respond before she was kissing him, tugging at his hair. It was sweet, and loving, and absolutely perfect.

"The mosquitoes will start coming out soon," Spencer warned in a whisper, "We should probably dry off and head for cover. Besides...I'm famished."

"Would you like me to catch us a fish?" Toby offered jokingly.

"Hmm, tomorrow? You can give me my first fishing lesson, sound good? Lifeguard today. Fisher tomorrow...what other professions do you hold, sir?"

"Well," Toby smiled, sliding out of the water and hoisting himself onto the dock, reaching down to pull her up with ease, "As I'm sure you're aware by now, I'm a carpenter. I'm also quite the engineer. But I'd say my best title is...Boyfriend to the beautiful, spunky, nerdy, adorable, breathtaking, sincere, water bug, Spencer Hastings. Sometimes I even get biweekly promotions."

She chortled into his skin, leaning on his shoulder as they sat knee to knee, "Really? Your boss sounds pretty sweet."

Shrugging, Toby's blue eyes danced with hers, "She can be."

Spencer slapped at his thigh, but he took her hand and held it there in his, enveloping his other arm around her.

Pressing his lips to her nose, Toby whispered softly, "She's perfect."

"So you wouldn't switch jobs?"

He shook his head, glancing out at the calm lake, "Not for a million bucks."

"Not even for a trillion?"

He looked back her, giving her his sly smile, bumping her shoulder with his, "Not even for a trillion and one. You see, being with her is priceless. Someone could offer me every tangible thing on Earth and I'd never resign from my duties."

Spencer clutched her heart, leaning in to kiss him slowly. When they pulled back, she breathed against his lips, her eyes dancing in sync with his as the sun began to sink in the sky, "Well, it'd be hard for someone to offer him anything and everything on earth...because he's already given HER the world."

There was brief moment of silence as Spencer tenderly stroked his shoulder.

"See?" she purred, "There's nothing left to be offered."

His heart sky rocketed in his chest as he leaned in, cupping her jaw with one hand. He kissed her, pouring every ounce of love he possessed in his soul for her. She kissed back, equally moved. They reclined, resting against the wooden dock. Pulling away gradually, Toby looked up at the sky, shutting his eyes as the warm sun dried his skin. Spencer followed suit, her eyes also closing as they sunbathed, their hands together.

"If I did have a trillion dollars though? I'd buy you a house."

"Why buy me one, when you can make me one?" Spencer asked, wrinkling her nose.

"I'd love to build you your dream house, as long as this dream house has room for me."

Spencer rolled over onto her side, facing him, "It wouldn't be my dream house if you weren't there to enjoy it with me, it'd just be a house."

She traced his chest with her fingers lightly, "I'd make you a little piece of you and little piece of me. Because we can't live in a big house off a King's ransom if it's just the two of us."

He rolled over too, raising her hand into the air and examining it.

"Hmm?" Spencer asked curiously, wondering if she'd been too forward.

"I was just noticing how your hands were constructed."

Spencer scoffed at him, "I'm telling you I wish to harvest your children and you start talking abut the alignment of my phalanges? Real encouraging."

Realizing that Spencer's confession was huge on her part, and that he was instantly charmed by the thought, Toby pressed his head against the wood, moving one finger between hers at a time. His tone was low enough to radiate shivers up Spencer's spine.

"...Have you ever noticed that each...and every...crevice...was made...to fit mine? I'd say that increases our compatibility level by at least a thousand."

She couldn't mask the smile that spread instantly across her face, squeezing his fingers between hers. He let their hands rest against the dock now, but Spencer pulled their bodies closer together, their noses touching as their eyes poured into each others souls. And, as per always, their eyes did the rest of the talking.

"You know where else you fit?" Spencer murmured as a blanket of refreshing slumber washed over them, their bodies tucked into one another.

His slow and steady breathing was enough to convince her he was asleep already, the pesky bugs that inhabited the lake this time of year instantly evaporating from her mind, because at the moment, nothing seemed more serene and appealing than taking a cat nap under the sinking sun with Toby Cavanaugh holding her.

Whispering in his ear, she smiled, "In my heart."

Toby grinned, his eyes still shut. He tugged Spencer until she was tucked under his chin, her lips against his neck, his arm around her protectively - right where _she_ fit **perfectly**.


	3. Sparoby and a Bed

_Sparoby and a Bed_

Flopping down backwards onto Spencer's bed, Aria let out a climactic gasp, placing a hand over her forehead to illustrate her sarcasm.

"Spencer! According to our brick - I mean textbook - inhaling is bad for you! Getting high is dangerous!"

Spencer bit her pencil, pulling her hair into a high ponytail and dryly retorting, "Gee. My mind is blown. Thank you for that new knowledge, Captain Obvious."

"No," Aria corrected, suddenly finding her fingernails interesting, "Our _textbooks_ are obvious. But see, not all of the methods of getting high are necessarily toxic, is what they fail to tell us."

"Ah," Spencer nodded, trotting over from her desk to her bed and sitting cross legged across from Aria's flat stomach, "Are you referring to natural highs?"

"Yeah!" Aria exclaimed in a voice so high, she was pretty sure she sounded exactly like a chipmunk, "Like kissing. Or jumping through puddles. Or ice-cream."

"Oooooohhh." Spencer licked her lips, "Ice-cream. The best and most fattening natural high ever. Well, despite it being made up of flavoring that is not natural. Myocardial infarction, but it is so worth it. Comes second to kissing, though. And sky diving."

Aria squinted up at her, poking Spencer's necklace and tugging on it, "Spence, you've never been sky diving!"

Spencer laughed, "Sure I have. On Wii."

Both girls burst into giggles, finally dying down as Aria's hand traveled from Spencer's necklace to the buttons on Spencer's jacket, her face twisting up. Her expression went from light and teasing to sullen, "What the textbooks also fail to inform us is that natural highs have lows too."

"Aria?" Spencer asked softly, grabbing Aria's hand and squeezing it, "I don't think you mean the fact that you can't fit into your jeans after downing ice-cream. Is this a reference to your sweater vest sporting, type writing, Mark Twain loving, hummus snacking Fitz? Wanna fill me in?"

Aria shook her head, pulling on Spencer's hand, "No. Just lay with me and cuddle?"

What was truly going on behind Aria's mysterious tone and cryptic babble, Spencer was unsure. One thing was certain, however: Spencer Hastings never turned down a cuddle session. Spencer nodded, smirking as she placed her head on Aria's shoulder. She opened her arms and Aria scooted into them, tucking her head on Spencer's chest and sighing. Aria squeezed Spencer tightly, enough to crack a rib. The slight whimper that escaped Spencer's lips caused Aria to release her death hold on the taller brunette and Spencer began soothingly running her fingers through Aria's raven curls.

"You know," Spencer said after a moment of complete silence, "Best friends know when little best friends are being cryptic. You can tell me anything. I hope you know that."

"I know, Spence." Aria smiled, "But, what I'd tell you is far worse than anything we've ever done. I think I should spare myself a lifelong supply of laser beam glares from you and the girls. Not to mention, the endless bickering between you and Hanna regarding who thinks I'm the stupidest."

"Aria. I can't promise I won't shoot laser beams at you but I can promise I won't judge you. I'll listen. And I'll be there for you."

Another pause. Aria shifted a bit in Spencer's arms, her shoulders tensing.

"Please. You're Spencer Hastings. You Spencer judge everything."

"I vow to set aside my Spencer Judge just for you."

There was another brief pause, enough to allow Spencer's ears to soak in the sounds of Jason playing basketball next door.

Spencer gently shook Aria's hands, "You're scaring me. Spit it out already before I kick the bucket."

The little one just blinked.

"My patience is about to expire." Spencer joked, "Come on. Best friends, right? Please? I'm worried."

Aria was spacing out now, her eyes stuck on the patterns on Spencer's blouse.

"Aria!" Spencer whined, "Earth to midget girl. Best friend Speaking. Other half of Team Sparia, do you copy? What's the matter with you? Lately you've been moping around with a virginal expression. I'm really worried."

She reached over and brushed some hair from Aria's face, touching her forehead with the back of her hand, "Warm...but then again...so is my room. Sorry it's like a sauna in here."

Blink.

Sigh.

Deciding she had endured enough silence, the suspense killing her, Spencer snapped her fingers harshly in front of Aria's face.

"YO! A little less vacant staring at my chest and a little more fessing up. You are not Shonda Rhimes, you don't get to be all "Whoa is me, there are lows in highs and highs in lows" and pull a cliff hanger on me! What's the matter? You're sleeping over every night. You're avoiding Hanna and Emily. You have bags under your eyes. You bailed on our Tuesday lunch date. There are two things Aria Montgomery never neglects, and that's Ezra Fitz - well three, plus hygiene - and Smokey Diverto's Grilled Cheese Melts on Tuesdays. Something's up. Don't make me use force to get it out of you."

Aria grimaced.

Spencer was desperate. "Aria, sweetie? You know you can tell me anything?"

"Yes."

"Okay. We're getting somewhere now. You're like a snail but we're making progress. Let's try for two words. What's going on?"

"I can...tell you...anything?" Aria repeated like a zombie.

"Did you sneak into a club with a fake ID again? Smoke a joint? Watch Jersey Shore marathons? Did you kiss a girl and like the taste of her cherry chap-stick? Was it Emily? She wears cherry chap-stick. I don't know this from experience, by the way, I just possess the rare but sought out ability to retain a memory of the most useless information regarding anyone within an 100 mile radius of my hound dog nose. Oh! Did you cheat on a History test? Just tell me, what is it?"

"I can tell you anything...anything at all." Aria mumbled, nodding, "The winds are changing."

Making a mental note to buy hair dye for the gray roots Aria was no doubt giving her best friend, Spencer sat up, pushing Aria with her, her hands on her small friend's shoulders.

"Dammit, Aria! You are not Tom Hanks and this is not The DaVinci Code!"

Aria sniffled, shrugging. Spencer was mentally plucking every hair on her head, on the verge of malfunctioning.

Aria simply repeated herself, "I can tell you anything. Anything."

"You're killing me with the broken record player! EVOLVE!"

Finally, the little one spoke, and Spencer's phone chorused with Hallelujah. Aria looked at her with wide eyes, before Spencer bent down and shut off her phone, smirking in shame.

"New ring-tone I have for a notification every time a new visitor checks out my blog. Let's get back to our regularly scheduled program of SPIT IT OUT NOW."

"See...I...when you guys were over...last month at Ezra's brick exposed lair...and I...the...bed..."

"WHAT?"

"I had sex!" Aria blurted out, standing up to declare her confession.

She looked up at the ceiling, wincing, as if she was afraid lightening may strike her for admitting to such a thing.

"I kind of figured that after you mentioned Ezra's bed was sacred ground." Spencer replied.

It took a moment, but with Aria's consistent bobbling of the head, the wheels in Spencer's head started turning and she too stood up, her index finger wagging.

"OH MY GOD! With someone other than Ezra? WITH WHO! WHEN?"

Aria glared at her, "Three weeks ago. With the mailman...with Ezra, you idiot."

"Oh. God. Don't scare me. I thought it could have been my brother."

Aria looked at Spencer as if her best friend had the plague.

"WHAT?"

The blush on Spencer's face revealed that she and Jason had been talking about Aria lately, and she was certain Aria would kill her for shamelessly begging Jason for details about their brief, ten minute fling before Ezra jumped the gun and staked his claim like a mama grizzly bear. "Um...nothing. Go on. Good for you. That's...great! Did you...you know...san-wrap the sausage?"

Aria's eyes bulged like a Loony Tune character, "What?"

"Or the bacon? Any breakfast food really...it's a...did you use protection?" Spencer giggled.

"See..." Aria said timidly, "That's the BIG news."

"He was big? You know what they say, the bigger the brief case the bigger the -"

"No!" Aria squealed, covering her face, "I mean! Yes! I mean..."

"Wait," Spencer said confused, "I thought you having sex was the big news?"

"No," Aria replied softly, "That's the introduction to the big news. You're going to frown upon the big news."

Flipping her hair, Spencer scoffed.

"Please, I don't like any news. Why do you think I never tune into CNN or ABC anymore? Just spit it out before I punch it out."

"I have been spitting it out. All this morning. And yesterday morning. And the week before that!" Aria gulped.

For one so smart, Spencer sure didn't seem to be understanding where this conversation was going. She yawned, taking a step back from Aria as a precaution.

"So? Do you think it's the swine flu?"

"So? So!" Aria rolled her eyes, "McBlondie, send out the hounds for that award winning brain of yours and take the hint! I never get sick. EVER."

"And the point?" Spencer asked, still lost.

Aria gripped Spencer's hand and clawed it, "**THE POINT** is what got me into this in the first place, Spence!"

"What? What point?" Spencer asked, leaning in.

"I think he -he -he juiced up my belly!"

"You've lost me. Like, two paragraphs and an awkward sigh ago."

Aria tried again, groaning, "He watered my garden."

Spencer blinked, shrugging.

"My eggo is preggo."

"Sorry, what?"

"When a man loves a woman -"

"Are you trying to initiate a sing-a-long? Because I'm not a musical kind of person. And could you put an end to your pregnant pauses? They're killing me."

"A bun is in the oven!" Aria yelled, cringing as Spencer said the word pregnant. She had yet to realize how ironic her choice of wording was.

As if a jolt finally awakened Spencer's inner Frankenstein, she leaped up, her nails digging into her cheek bones, pulling on the flesh there.

"I HEARD YOU! OH MY GOD! Please tell me you're joking. Am I being PUNK'D? You know how I feel about Ashton Kutcher. I thought you were smart, Aria!"

Aria growled, folding her arms, "I am! I mean, I thought I was too. It was just...I forgot to take my pill...I'm tired. All I want to do is sleep. My face is like another planet with the craters I have right now. I constantly have a fever. I'm throwing up all the time. I'm surprised I haven't vomited up the marble I swallowed when I was three."

"Did you fertilize a stick yet?" Spencer asked, rubbing Aria's back soothingly.

Aria shook her head, "No, because once I do that, it will become all too real."

"Okay," Spencer said, swallowing. "This is what we're going to do. Everything is going to be fine, Aria, okay? Because I know everything. And I say so. I'm never wrong."

Aria shot her a look.

"Okay! I'm _always_ wrong. I have a track record for being wrong. Look, I am certain this will be okay. It has to be. Because you're too little to have a little you. Tomorrow, after school? I am going to go to the drug store and pick up a crap-load of pregnancy tests."

"And then?"

"And then you pee on them."

"I'm not that stupid, thank you. Stop mistaking me for Hanna."

"Sorry. I just haven't planned that far ahead yet. For now? Let's just stay here. Let's stay in my room. Because for now? It's safe. And we can watch a movie...okay? We can watch the Bubble Boy and all your problems will instantly seem minuscule in comparison to his. I mean, not only does the man live in a bubble and eat Jesus cookies in his Superman underwear, have you seen the swooping of his hair?"

Aria nodded, sniffling, "Okay. You're absolutely right, his hair is the true tragedy of this story."

Once again gathering Aria into her arms, Spencer reached for the remote and turned the TV on. Aria snuggled into her, trying to push everything from her mind.

"Spence?" Aria asked some minutes later.

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

It wasn't long before the two girls fell asleep, the TV buzzing in the background.

_Buzz._

_Buzz._

_Buzz._

Spencer's phone hummed from her nightstand, indicating that she had a new text message, but she was fast asleep.

Within a second the buzzing turned over as Toby's name showed up on the screen of her phone, the corniest love song known to man pouring through the speakers.

_I want to stand with you on __a mountain_  
_ I want to bathe with you in the sea_  
_ I want to lay like this forever_  
_ Until the sky falls down on me_

The song cut short and the screen displayed **1 Missed Call :Toby. **

She and Aria were cuddled up on her bed, her room now dark as it had transitioned into night.

A few minutes later, there was a light knock on Spencer's door.

Toby peeked in, "Spenc...errr..._ria_?"

Aria's leg was tossed over Spencer's thigh, her arms wound around Spencer's neck. Spencer had her head protectively resting atop Aria,'s her arm draped over Aria's shoulder. Both girls were still sound asleep, unaware of their intruder.

Toby sighed, shutting the door behind him. He permitted himself to laugh silently, checking Spencer's phone. _No wonder_ _she hadn't answered._

Turning off the TV, he kicked off his sneakers and crawled in next to Spencer, placing his lips to her bare shoulder.

Aria rolled over, facing the opposite direction, still completely oblivious of another presence. Spencer reacted almost instantly, rolling over, searching for her little friend. She instead collided with Toby and snuggled into him.

Toby grinned wildly, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer, kissing Spencer's forehead. He held her for a while, basking in the peaceful smile gracing her face until her alarm clock indicted forty minutes had passed.

Spencer's phone buzzed again and the sleeping beauty began to stir.

Toby rolled his eyes playfully. _'Sure...NOW she starts to wake up.'_

Spencer began stretching, reaching for Toby's face. She patted up his chest, feeling around. Toby looked at her hands curiously, raising a brow.

He watched on in amusement as Spencer frowned a bit, her eyes still closed. Running her hands with a pat up Toby's neck, to his lips, to his ears and finally his hair, she gurgled. Finally, her frown disappeared and was replaced by a smirk as she ran her hands all the way back down to his abs through his jacket.

Toby grinned too, snickering as his girlfriend tried to make sense of Aria suddenly morphing into a man.

His smile turned into an "OH!" as Spencer's hand traveled to foreign territory south of the Navel Boarder. He hit his head on the bed board, yelping

Spencer's eyes shot open, "I am definitely not in Kansas anymore!"

"Hi?" Toby said innocently.

Spencer panted, a hand across her wildly beating heart, "What the hell are you doing in my bed, you creeper?"

Toby covered her mouth, and Spencer's eyes grew ten times. Toby nodded to Aria behind them and Spencer understood. He let go of her mouth and cupped her face, rubbing his thumbs along her soft cheek. Spencer exhaled happily, letting out a small yawn. She ran her bare foot up Toby's jeaned leg, leaning in to kiss him softly.

Still fighting his laughter, Toby pulled back, resting his lips on her jaw, "You stood me up. I had to make sure you were okay. My girlfriend never passes up an opportunity to go star gazing. Especially when there are chocolate covered strawberries involved."

Spencer gasped, reaching out and putting a hand on Toby's face apologetically, "Toby," she whispered sadly, "I'm so sorry. Aria, she needed me. We fell asleep..I...I would nev-"

Toby cut her off by kissing her.

"I know," he whispered back, "But you had me worried. Is the little one okay?"

Spencer shook her head, sighing loudly, "Yes. No. I don't know. Her high had a low and her garden got watered and now she's like Bubble Boy. It is a pretty frightening low."

Toby looked at her confused. Spencer shook her head, "I'll tell you later."

She stretched, "Can you pass me my phone, babe?"

He nodded, reaching behind him, "You can just delete my five voice mails."

"TEN missed calls?" Spencer asked incredulously.

Toby blushed, "I told you. I was really concerned about your well being."

Spencer smiled at him in the dark, pulling him closer, "I love you, you silly, panicked boy. Ella's mom left a message...she's wondering where Aria is. She's on her way now. This can't be good."

She sat up, Toby following suit. She rubbed her eyes. Looking over at Aria, a horn honked. Spencer dashed over to the window.

"That was fast. I don't want to wake her, she's so tired. She needs sleep."

Before she knew it, Toby had put his shoes back on and was getting up.

"Where are you going?" she asked sadly.

He walked over to the other side of her queen bed, scooping Aria cautiously into his sturdy arms, walking over to the door, "Get the door?"

Spencer smiled lovingly at him, opening it for him and following him down the hall and down the steps, "Please, don't drop her. Precious cargo."

"Spencer," Toby said, laughing softly, "Have I ever dropped you?"

The beautiful brunette before him wagged her head, "No..."

"Aria weighs the equivalent of a toddler. I won't drop her."

"Oh," Spencer feigned offense, "You're saying I'm heavy?"

Toby groaned, "No. You're not. You know what I mean. I mean, you are heavy...heavy on my mind, all day. Can you please get the side door, now?"

"It's raining," Spencer observed. She grabbed a blanket and draped it over Aria's body, slipping on her clogs and following Toby outside.

Toby stopped her, nodding back at the house, "Get inside, crazy girl. You'll freeze. I can handle baby here."

Spencer gritted her teeth, "Fine. I can see she's in good hands...arms. I'll just go back inside. Alone. By myself."

Toby smiled at her, "Spencer," he said in his signature, specially reserved tone, "I'm coming back. Then you'll be inside. Not alone. With me. Did I mention we'd be alone?"

Spencer blushed, instantly turning into jello at the thought, "You may have. Don't be long." she skipped back inside, landing on the couch anxiously.

Tightening his hands, Toby chuckled, whispering to Aria as he carried her towards Ella's waiting Honda.

"Your best friend? A little on the crazy side."

* * *

**Please send reviews my way :) Also, we will be blessed with the return of our beautiful couple in seven days! Can you believe it?**

**For those of you who read After All That We've Been Through, look for an update sometime tomorrow :) Thanks!  
**

**xo- Bree  
**


	4. Beachside Distractions

**Thanks for the reviews, guys! This one is slightly more "heated" than the ones previous, but the rating remains the same. Hope you enjoy! **

* * *

_Beach-side Distractions_

"So," Toby slithered through his teeth as he watched Spencer unroll the corners of her towel, "What would you like to do first?"

Spencer glanced at him over her shoulder, patting down a corner, before plumping herself down onto her flat stomach, her arms beneath her, "Read. I'm dying to start this new book for book club that everyone keeps going on about." She flashed him the _30 Shades of Crimson _novel.

"Oh," Toby snorted, "You do realize, we're at a beach, right?"

Spencer huffed, kicking off her white flip flops, "Yep. You do realize you're entitled to do whatever you want, right? You don't have to read just because I am. Don't let me kill your fun."

Toby dived down beside her, latching one arm across her lower back and pulling her close to him as he inhaled her apple shampoo, "Hmm, but you ARE my fun."

Raising her shoulders to evict his mouth from where it was currently leaving kisses on her neck, Spencer shimmied away from his hold, clearing her throat.

"I'm reading."

Toby sighed in defeat, situating his head flat on the towel she had placed down for him. He brought one hand up to carress her bare thigh, leaving little hearts there with his sandy finger tips. Spencer didn't even flinch. She hummed and turned the page in her book, burrowing her nose deeper into her novel. Toby had always enjoyed reading, especially with Spencer in his lap, but right now he couldn't understand what could possibly be more interesting than running through the waves and enjoying the sun on one of their rare free days together. Helping Spencer deal with her nightmares surrounding Mona and supporting her as she came to terms with the hell she and the girls had endured that year had taken a toll on both she and Toby, and they were mentally and emotionally exhausted. It had been her suggestion to come to the beach in the first place, and Toby was relieved that she wanted to get out for a while. She had kissed his cheek and told him it would be the perfect escape to spend the day wrapped up in each others arms, and to Toby it sounded like a dream come true.

Yet, here they were, on a nearly vacant beach front, and Spencer wasn't paying him any attention. They had always been the type of couple that didn't need words to fill in the void; they were always just content being in the company of the other, but lately the dynamic between them had started to change.

With a tone that mocked the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz, Toby licked his lips, "I'll get you my pretty..." His thumb and forefinger dug into the back of her knee, causing her to kick at his hips.

"Stop it." Spencer warned, "Toby."

Toby groaned, rolling over onto his stomach. He wanted to go out and enjoy the water, but where was the fun in that without his girlfriend joining him? Deciding he could still persuade her next, he became keen on distracting her until she caved and he could just sweep her up and throw her in. He loved tossing her around anyways; she was like his little doll. Mainly, he just loved knowing that he was the only one who could do that. He loved having her in his arms, knowing he would always keep her safe, and that even though she complained about it most of the time, he knew that she knew deep in her heart she loved it, too. So, rolling onto his back, Toby shielded his eyes from the sun with one hand, while the other walked teasingly over to Spencer, his fingers one by one moving under the strap of her bikini top, pulling on it.

Spencer shook his hand with her back, but it was no use. He didn't budge. His fingers began tickling that area of skin, a wry smile on his face. Spencer didn't so much as look at him. Instead, she reached behind her with her left arm, grabbed his fingers and dug them back out, pinching them, "Toby! I said cut it out!"

Toby rolled his eyes playfully, raising his hand up as a white flag. As soon as Spencer was once again preoccupied with her reading again, fanning through the pages quickly, her eyes wide under her sunglasses she had stolen from him, Toby continued his teasing.  
He knew he was pissing her off now, but it was too much fun to stop. She'd get furious at him, yell at him, and then he'd grab her and kiss her and he knew she'd forget about it anyways. It always worked that way.

Feeling like a dare devil, Toby pushed back some of the hair that curtained over her face this time, tugging on it gently. Her head bobbed but she just hissed, not wanting to give him the satisfaction he wanted.

"Fine," Toby said softly through his teeth, licking his lips, "If that's how you want to play."

Spencer shook her head, "I don't want to play. That's the point. Shush. This is the really good part...he's just about to kiss her."

Raising a brow, Toby rolled over, scooting next to her so their bare hips were brushing together. In grade school, he had been infamous for asking a string of questions during reading time, and his teachers had hated him for it. Deciding to delve back into his younger methods, he smirked.

"How?"  
"What?" Spencer whined, "Toby, please, not now. Just pacify yourself...he's going in for the kill..."

Placing one hand on the other side of her, his leg coming up to wrap around her left one, Toby planted a kiss on her hair, nuzzling her cheek, "What's happening?"

"Don't you have your own book to read?"

"Nope. I don't read at the beach. I play at the beach with my cute girlfriend, but my cute girlfriend is too busy reading so: how?"

"Wh-you want me to read it to you? It's kind of raunchy."

"Please."

"Was that sarcastic or pleading, because I can't tell when you're breathing heavily on my skin?"

Toby laughed softly, "Both. Go on then, what's so great about this book that you can't spend some quality time with your boyfriend? Read it to me."

He could hear her growl at him in frustration, and he bit his tongue, trying not to laugh at her annoyance.

"Well you can see it, you're leaning over my shoulder like a spy."

"Mmmm..I have sand in my eyes. You read it to me."

"You have sand in your eyes? Bull. Fine."

Clearing her throat, she began reading in her signature, raspy tone.

_ "Jeff leaned closer, his eyes digging into my soul with a titanic amount of confidence, enough to make me feel sick. Still, I found it to be worth my lust. Wetting my lips with my warm, moist tongue, I bit down, hard, on my bottom one, anticipating his next move. His sudden but discreet movement of his palm cupping my buttocks distracted me, but only briefly, before I could feel his hot breath on my skin. It reeked of wine and yet, nothing was more appetizing at that moment. He was drunk off of wine, and I was, undoubtebly, helplessly drunk on his gaze. With cool fingers, he raised his hand from its grip on my buttocks and dragged it up my spine. I had never been more thankful for wearing such a suggestive dress. My entire was back exposed to the wind, and now to his gentle, but seductive touch."_

Listening, but laughing in his head at how cheesy and overdone this story seemed to be, Toby leaned back, taking his right hand and using his forefinger to trace all the way up her spine, slowly. Spencer shivered, her back arching in response. Regardless, Spencer read on, though her tone was a bit raspier.

_ "Jessica', he breathed in that charming, low tone, the one that sent my insides into discombobulation every time it escaped his lucious, stubtly throat; 'I want you. I've been wanting you, all this time. It's been you. It's always been you. Let us not deny our infatuation with one another, as your body is pressed so closely with mine!"_

"Like this?" Toby interrupted, his voice foggy with sarcasm as he brought his lips to Spencer's ear, tossing her hair over her shoulder for better access. His voice mocked the man in the story's, purposdely blowing air onto her ear, making her shudder, "Spencer, I want you. I've been wanting you."

Spencer bit her tongue. She shivered before composing herself to continue, "Hmm...sure. Ahem," she paused, turning the page as Toby moved his arm back to the other side of her.

_"And then, it happened. The moment I had been dreaming about my entire life - or more specifically since I had planted my affection onto Jeffrey three years ago in the office of Grey and Harp's Law Firm - was about to take place. It was unfolding like a blooming flower in the spring time, wet with dew. My eyes fluttered shut like a butterfly in anticipation, my lips parting as his breath parted the walls surronding the exterior of my icy demeanor. He broke down every wall. Every barred window. He slayed every dragon guarding my inner castle with one swift move. And then suddenly, just as his lips were about to introduce themselves to mine in a wave of what was sure to be indescribable, bone chilling passion, Jeffrey turned me. My bare back to him, I sighed in surprise. Before I even had time to process what was taking place, or to open my tear filled eyes, his lips were on my shoulder. His hand was running slowly, torturingly, up my back. I could hardly take it, let alone breathe."_

Spencer paused as she started on the first word of the next paragraph, her teeth sinking into her lip as she felt Toby kiss down her shoulder. She could feel his ministrations linger right between her bare shoulder blades. Toby's calloused hand ran up her back, along the line of her indented spine, coming back down again, and then back up, ever so slowly. Just like the description she just read - it was torture, but in the sweetest way.

"Like this?" He purred into her skin.

Spencer willed herself to continue reading the excerpt of _30 Shades of Crimson_, determined to at least finish this chapter before she became completely lost to her boyfriend's touch.

_ "Without warning, as I dug my hands into his thighs, he whipped me back around to face him, his hands grabbing at my waist. He moved one hand tauntingly up my hipbone, before cupping my chin tightly. It could have bruised me, but I didn't mind in the least. It was the best pain I could have endured, being in his arms. The pain in my chest as my airways constricted and failed to function properly was nothing in comparison to the pain I had endured without him in my arms for so long. He was finally where I wanted him. I gazed longingly at his plump, perfectly cracked lips, inhaling his aftershave. "Kiss me, you fool!" I begged, "Kiss me! Kiss me like you've wanted to kiss me, all this time. Kiss me until we fall back onto the ground and get lost in one another's skin, until the flames at last consume us and we leave nothing but our clothing and the day behind us. Kiss me!"_

If not for being so stubborn in his ways of distraction right now, Toby would have burst into laughter. This story was terrible. He didn't understand why anyone, especially not his girlfriend, the one that made fun of chick flicks, would be so entranced by this novel. He could feel her lose focus as he pushed on, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before she caved in to his movements and let him drag her into the refreshing water.

Meanwhile, Spencer keeping her focus on the material was becoming nearly impossible. She gulped, feeling Toby's hands at her hips. Stuck on her ways, she forced herself read on.

_ "Kiss me!" I cried again, my hands digging into his tie and tugging at it. At last, his lips came crashing down onto mine with such power and force that i nearly fell back onto the wall behind me. It was as if fire was burning my lips, as if syrup was coating my tongue as I tasted his sweet lips, his tongue, his love for me. I shivered again, pressing my lips more firmly against his as they moved with his vigorously."_

Toby flipped Spencer over, dangling himself over her. He brought her hips into his, using one hand to drag her neck up, but not enough to hurt her. It startled Spencer, and she gasped.

"Toby, what are you-"

"Like this." Toby answered huskily, smashing his lips onto hers.

In response, Spencer moaned, digging her nails into his shoulders.

Feeling like he might be crushing her delicate frame, Toby altered their positions, placing her on top of him horizontally. Planting one last, delicate kiss on her lips, Toby let his head fall back, smiling. Spencer looked in short like Bambi; her eyes wide and animated, her jaw ajar as she gaped up at him. Toby could feel her shake against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her lower back. Reaching up to tickle some stuble on his chin, Spencer giggled.

"Damn. And here I thought my book was interesting."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Toby teased, "Would you like to go back to reading?"

Spencer kissed his chest, before nuzzling her face against his hot skin, tucking her arms under her body, "What and miss this? Why read about Jeffrey and Jessica when I can live it out with you. And this is much, much better."

Being his usual self, Toby began to feel a trace of guilt wash over him. He squeezed her hip a bit, kissing her hair again as he smoothed some down from her forehead, "Are you sure? I can let you read. I'll go for a swim and you can relax. I know you don't get much free time these days, I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" she asked in a sing song tone, playing with the outline of his bracelet.

The blue eyes Spencer loved so much looked all the more hypnotic and raidiant in the sun light as he blinked lovingly at her, "Well, I interrupted your story."

"Pssht, you didn't interrupt it. You amplified it by bringing it to life. And you're positively right: I do not get much free time these days..."  
Toby looked down in shame. Here all this time he'd been trying to get her into the water, something he wanted, yet he'd forgotten to take what she wanted into consideration. It was so unlike him, but he was so desperate to do something fun with her; not that watching her get caught up in an extremely over done novel wasn't entertaining.

Spencer reached out and cupped his cheeks, allowing Toby to grab her waist and scoot her up closer, "_But_, I don't get much time with you anymore, either. And my free time is much better spent when it is with the people I love."

"Like Aria? Speaking of, by the way, how is she?"

"Like Aria," Spencer concurred, "She's relieved, to say the least. I don't think anyone has ever been happier to see a negative sign. There's other people I love, besides Aria, you know."

Toby smiled. "Hanna, and Em?"

"Yep, them too..."

Beaming at the blue eyed boy before her, Spencer sighed. Spencer brought her lips down on his gently, leaving them there as she spoke again in a loving tone, "And this boy that I'm madly in love with."

"Is he your Jeffrey?" Toby tickled her ribs.

Spencer wiggled on top of him, her hands moving to his hair as they dug into his strands and latched on there, "Mmmp. No, you're nowhere near Jeffrey, babe."

Toby looked disapointed, but he tried to mask it.

"You're my incredible, handsome, charming, sweet, thoughtful, handy, intelligent, triumphant Toby. Jeffrey? Jeffrey fails in comparison to you. His fictional character doesn't even come close on the pedastal I have you on. _No one_ comes close to you."

Toby reached up, touched by her reassurance. He gently and carefully removed the sunglasses she had taken from him, folding them up beside them on the beach towel. Cupping her face and carressing it with his thumbs, Toby smiled as she grasped onto his wrists.

"I want to look into those beautiful eyes. There. Hi."

"Hi." the brunette whispered.

He searched her face for the longest time...as if he was memorizing her every feature...every freckle, every crease on the forehead, every scar, or eyelash, or the slight indent on her chin that he loved so much, simply because it matched his own. Truthfully, he already had her face stored to memory. It was the first thing he saw every morning when he woke up- with or without her actually being there in his arms- and the last thing he saw before he fell asleep each night. It was the face he committed to not only his memory, but his heart and soul, the one he daydreamed over while at work every week when he had to be hours away and knew he wouldn't see her until the weekend again. The beautiful face that flashed on his phone screen whenever she called him...he would sometimes let it ring three or four times before answering just to stare at her picture. The face that was saved as his screen saver, and also clipped to the dashboard in his truck, the one he had sketched on his floor plans and gotten yelled at for yesterday afternoon. The face he saw whenever he envisioned the future, the one that would mesh with his to create a beautiful child someday; maybe a little girl and possibly a little boy to follow.

"Toby?" Her mocha eyes danced with his.

Toby placed a soft kiss to her forehead again, Spencer closing her eyes to enjoy it.

"Sorry," he apologized, "I just got lost in those beautiful eyes of yours, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to be found. You're just so beautiful."

Spencer blushed, her lower lip sticking out into the signature pout she only reserved for Toby, and soemtimes Aria, if she was really feeling vulnerable.  
"So are you." she murmured back, her voice cracking.

His touch on her sunburnt cheeks was so gentle, his gaze so serious and evident of how much he adored her that it made her eyes well up with moisture.

Dabbing away the tears before they even began cascading onto him, Toby rubbed his thumb over her lips, "I really love you."

She cocked her head to the side, awing vocally at his proclomation of love. She'd heard it a thousand times but, everytime she felt as if the power of it was enough to steal her oxygen supply. She knew she'd never love anyone the way she loved Toby.

"I love you," she cried, her voice now giving out. She kissed him tenderly, letting her lips rest on his for a minute, placing a few playful kisses there.

She rolled off of him, causing him to pout. Already missing the feeling of his arms around him she cuddled into his side, draping one leg across his. Toby grabbed her thigh and pulled her leg around his hip, reaching for her hand and sensually slipping his fingers in and out of hers, watching them. Spencer gazed over at Toby, already sure that their hands were a perfect match. The way the spaces there ached for him when he was gone lead the usually logical Spencer Hastings to ditch her brain's insisting that she was just naive so that she could drown it out with the orchestra playing inside her heart whenever he was in her arms. Moments like these she was positive that they were soul mates, that their young age didn't factor into this equation. Spencer kissed Toby's shoulder again and again, before releasing his hands and placing hers directly over his heart, smiling up at him.

Toby smiled back, rubbing her bare shoulder, kissing the top of her head for the tenth time that day.

"Don't you want to go play in the waves?" Spencer asked.

"No. I want to stay like this forever instead."

Spencer hummed, her eyes heavy with sleep. The sounds of the waves colliding with the shore and Toby's steady breathing against her hair was perhaps the best lullaby she'd had yet, and she let her body shut down.

Sometime later, Toby stirred from under her, yawning. He stretched out his toes, careful not to wake the sleeping beauty that was draped over him. He watched her sleep for a minute, bringing the arm that wasn't trapped under her up to carress her sunburnt cheeks and nose. It was one of his favorite past times - watching her sleep. He knew she didn't get much of it when he was away with work, and that was often the reason behind him spending nights in her bed with her, soothing her. How he adored her falling asleep against him, but he lived for moments like this when he could witness her at peace.

He suddenly grew angry with himself for having removed the sunglasses from her, feeling guilty now. The area around her eyelids was stained pink. With that same hand, he examined the rest of her body, noting that her shoulder was a bit reddened too from the sun, mentally noting that he'd aloe vera her once they got back to her house. Spencer stirred in his arms, groggily rubbing her eyes and yawning, causing Toby to yawn once more, too.

"Sorry," she mumbled sleepily.

Tingles shot up and down Toby's arm as he loosened it from under her, stretching it as it had fallen asleep. It was as if the bones in his arm had vanished, and his arm flopped around like rubber as he fought to wake it back up. He shook the sensation off, chuckling.

"For falling asleep with me? You're not allowed to apologize. i'm not sorry, and neither should you be. I love having you sleep with me." he pointed to her face, "Although, I am sorry I let you fall asleep and get burnt."

Spencer reached up, wincing.

"No, don't touch it, baby." Toby instructed, "We'll fix it."

Toby rubbed her back, getting all of the knots out, just like he always did when she slept over. Spencer laughed loudly, covering her mouth with one hand, the other going straight to the white mark on his chest. Toby glanced down, propping himself up on his elbows. There, over his heart, where Spencers hand had been resting as they napped, was the outline of her hand. The other part of his chest was completely tanned now, save for that pale area.

"Well, I've always known it, but let it be known to everyone else, that you've left a handprint on my heart, Spencer Hastings."

"Now it's like a tattoo. Hopefully it fades. Sorry, babe."

Toby shivered, snatching her hand away from his hip where she was caressing his tattoo and bringing it up to kiss, before tucking both of their hands under his chin. Spencer leaned over him, resting her chin on his chest. Suddenly leaning further over, Spencer left a kiss on his new tan mark, putting her hand back over it exactly.

"You have my heart and I have yours, I'd say we're even. Come to think of it, I kind of like it."

"Oh you do?"

He sat up with her, drawing her back into his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Mmm hmm. It's compensation for all the love marks you leave on my neck."

"Oh really? Well, I'd say my love marks fade faster than this will. I give this at least two weeks."

"What? Oh please. This one," Spencer pointed to her neck, "Last weekend. This one?" she motioned to her hip bone, "also a week old. And this one..." she pointed to her collarbone, "Three weeks, at least."

Toby smirked at her, tapping each mark as she pointed them out to him, "Just letting everyone know you're mine."

"Toby, I kissed you in front of the entire town at the Founder's Day Festival last year; everyone's known I'm yours for a while now. Hate to burst your little bubble."

She stood up, reaching down to help him up, but he pulled her back down, tickling her mercilessly. Her yelps filled the immediate area around them, drawing in attention from the other people inhabiting the beach. Kissing the corner of her mouth before kissing her slowly, Toby pulled back, breathless.

"Where do you think you're going, Miss Marks A-Lot?"

"I was going to enjoy the waves."

"Oh, so now you want to go in the water? Sure."

Spencer piled her hair atop her head in a messy ponytail, throwing him a flirtatious grin, "Would you rather stay here and continue reading about Jessica and Jeffrey, or see what this bikini looks like when it is wet? I've heard that the ending is really someth-"

The speed at which her personal Greek God carried her into the water was enough to break a track record. Wrapping her legs securely around his waist as he bobbed them deeper into the waves, Spencer kissed his shoulder, knowing that all the books in the world weren't nearly as charming as Toby Cavanaugh as his washboard abs.

"Toby?" she said into his ear, "You're my favorite ending."

His neck craning to search the windows of her soul, he grinned, "Spencer? You're my favorite _beginning_."


	5. Sunday Bloody Sunday

**_Sunday, Bloody Sunday_**

"Toby?" A dismayed Hanna asked as she caught a glimpse of the nervous looking guy standing beside her in the _Personal Wellness_ aisle, "What are you doing here?"

Toby looked up from the box he held in his hand, growing all the more sheepish now that he was caught in the act. Pushing the box back onto the shelf he rocked awkwardly on his heels.

Hanna couldn't believe what she was witnessing. _Was this really happening?_ She didn't know that Spencer and Toby were _that _comfortable yet in the stage of their relationship. Not even Caleb would dare try something _this_ bold.

Scratching the back of his neck, Toby shivered, nodding at the products before him, "I um...Spencer."

Hanna looked around the otherwise vacant aisle, "Is she here?"

Shaking his head, Toby blushed, his eyes finding the ground more fascinating than the variety of items surrounding them.

"She's at home. She's um...well she...said that all problems begin with men, and that her current erm...problem...she just..." he sighed, "I don't know what to get. I'm new at this."

"So she sent you out into the battlefield without unarmed? Harsh."

"No," Toby corrected, "I volunteered."

"Wait, you mean you actually enlisted prior to running through boot camp? Wow."

Biting her finger to keep from vocally exhibiting her amusement, Hanna pivoted so that she had better access to the boxes he was gawking at. Grabbing one for him, she dangled it in front of his face. Unlike Caleb, he didn't take a step backwards, but he grabbed it from her, thanking her with his eyes. Reading the label he winced.

"This sounds painful."

Hanna chortled, "Just, get those, okay? You don't need to think about the logistics behind it and how it...functions."

Tucking the Tampons under his arm, he smiled gently at Hanna, "Thank you for your help."

Hana surveyed the candy bar in his opposite hand, frowning in disapproval, "Is that for you or Medusa?"

"Oh, uh, I heard you girls crave this kind of junk when you're uh, menstruating."

"Whoa, and just when I was buffaloed, you say the M word. Caleb won't even acknowledge that it happens because it grosses him out. And he totally wouldn't dare come down this aisle; he thinks PMS is contagious and he'll die from it. Whatever, right?"

Caleb strolled by, a few candles in hand, not even looking up at Hanna and Toby as he spoke. "Hey, Han, they have these four for a dollar so I grabbed as many as I can. Did you get the condo-"

Hanna's elbow collided with his ribcage and stopped him short. Caleb looked up, his eyes landing on the box of Tampons Toby was carrying. He gasped, jumping backwards and pushing Hanna in front of him like someone had just fired a round of shots and he needed protection- and not the kind of protection Hanna was holding either. He made a vomit sound, quickly averting his eyes. Toby could have sworn Caleb jumped ten feet in the air, looking like he saw a ghost.

"Dude, what the hell?"

When Hanna told him to shut up, Caleb held out his hands, adding more distance between he and Toby, his eyes wide with caution.

"No, no, no...don't do this Toby. You can still walk away. Just put the box down, and walk away. Walk away! This is uncharted territory, okay? No man's land! Guys of boyfriend past have come in here before and they've never returned! I've heard the stories, it's brutal, I'm telling you. Only sissy boys touch t-those!"

Toby rolled his eyes, about to make a comment, when Hanna spoke for his honor, glaring at her boyfriend and his immaturity.

"You know what? Cork it, ninja boy. At least Toby is brave enough to come down this aisle. You won't even buy _these_," she held up the box in her hand, "Toby," Hanna turned back to Toby, "You're gonna need way more than just a bar of chocolate if you want to play Switzerland! Come on, I've got your back."

Toby followed Hanna down the aisles, barely able to see his way to the register because she had stocked so much ice-cream, chocolate, chips, and drinks, and other various assortments of entertainment in his arms. Bagging up the magazines, snacks, card, flowers, and Spencer's personal hygiene items, Toby waved to her, heading out to his truck in haste.

Turning back to Caleb, who was not so slyly peeking in at a nude girl in a magazine, Hanna confiscated it and smacked him upside the head.

"How come you can't be more like Toby?"

* * *

When Toby arrived back at the Hastings manor, Spencer was curled up in a ball on her bed, hunched over. She peaked up at Toby through the curtain of her long, luxurious hair, that while normally looked like something straight out of a Pantene Pro-V commercial now looked like it had endured months in a remote jungle. She was wearing one of his hooded sweatshirts - one she had stolen from his loft - and some black yoga shorts.

She moaned out in agony as he shut her door behind him, digging into the bag as he placed it down on her bed.

"Your requested lady items," he dug into the bag again, "Donuts. Tootsie rolls. Barbecue potato chips. Naked juice - your favorite. Peach rings. Truffles. Milk Duds. Titanic," he held up a magazine, "Cosmopolitan: _25 Surprising Moves To Guarantee a Steamy Connection,_ page 214, it's a great read! And I downloaded this Nature Healing device that allows me to play you soothing sounds of the wilderness to calm your inner waters. These Lindt Lindor truffles that just melt in your mouth," he held out his hand, "Want some?"

Spencer extended her arm to rob him of the candy he had already begun munching on, "I think you've had enough."

Toby sulked, pushing aside the items he had purchased for her. Watching as Spencer gripped her stomach and repeated the joys of being a woman, Toby grimaced. Her head was tucked under her chest, her knees folded over, her buttocks straight up in the air.

"Comfortable?" he asked, "Do you need me to get you anything? Is there anything I can do for you?"

Spencer moaned again.

"Can you magically make the pain go away before I transform into a Sea Hydra?"

"I wish I could. You're no fun when you're tearing things apart."

Spencer glared at him narrowly, whimpering when she felt a stab in her lower abdominal area, "It's like my uterus is at war with me! Oh God!"

She inhaled, "You don't have to be here. You can go. You should go! Just go! I don't want you here right now! Please," she begged, "GO!"

"But Spence-"

"GET OUT!"

Toby scuttled to get up, searching for his car keys. He was about a foot out the door when he heard her cry out his name, begging him to return.

"No, come back, please! Don't leave!"

"But you just sa-"

"I know what I just said Toby, don't sass me!" Spencer barked, rolling over onto her side and moving her knees into her stomach.

Toby reached out to rub her back, but Spencer practically removed his fingers with her teeth, her eyes turning into little slits. Toby could have sworn he heard her growl like a pit-bull.

"Don't. Touch. Me." Spencer hissed.

Uncomfortably shifting in his shoes, Toby looked down at her, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

Her whimpering a moment later made him dash over to her bed again, one of his legs draped on the bed, while the other was propped up by his foot on the floor. Rubbing her back with his palm, he pursed his lips. The pain was evident in her eyes, and Spencer looked so miserable that it broke Toby's heart. Knowing she was aching and there was nothing he could do to rid her of that burden, Toby sighed sadly.

"Toby," Spencer sniveled softly, her hand making a fist on his jeans, her nails digging into the material at his knee.

"What can I do, baby?"

He felt helpless. He obviously wasn't a woman, so he hadn't a single clue what to do to sympathize with her or to make her feel better. He understood from what he had learned in health class and read in his stepmother's magazines that Spencer was experiencing severe stomach cramping- and by the looks of it, it was keeping her pretty stationary. He knew Spencer was also going through the mood swings he had heard all about, and though he had dated her for months now, he had never really seen her like this.

His eye catching the bath crystals he had picked up for her that were supposed to eliminate some of her discomfort, Toby held them out for his girlfriend.

"I can draw you a bath. Would that help?" he offered sweetly.

Spencer shook her head, moving it to rest in his lap, closing her eyes as his fingers raked through her knotted hair.

"No!" she bellowed, "I'm bloated at the moment and I'll probably resemble a manatee!"

Toby snorted, "You do not," he bent over, pressing his lips to her forehead, "You look incredibly beautiful, as always."

Pondering a moment, Toby came up with a new strategy, desperate to distract her from her pain and to relieve some of the stress he knew was already built up from her summer classes and family drama she was continuously exposed to at home.

"I could give you a massage," his hands came to rub her shoulders, but she shrugged them away.

Running his hands up and down her arms, Toby looked on lovingly at the brunette curled up in his lap. Repositioning her, he placed his head on her stomach, brushing his lips over her skin as he pushed back the material of the sweater, before concealing her and kneading his fingers gently to apply pressure on her stomach area.

"My insides honestly feel like they're being squeezed like a vise right now," Spencer breathed, "It's like there is this demonic creature ripping apart my insides with their nails of fiery because I'm not reproducing like my biological clock wants."

"I know a quick way to fix that," Toby joked.

Spencer hit his leg, "That's not funny. One week of crippling cramps, fatigue and junk food intake versus nine months of it plus an additional like, twenty something symptoms and then child labor? No thanks."

Motioning for her to roll over, Toby began massaging her lower back, something he had read about prior to Spencer asking him to come over. He would never admit to reading any of those girl magazines, but when it came to his girlfriend, he would read just about anything as research to help her.

"Mmmm," Spencer groaned, her head thumping down on one of her pillows, "That actually- it's relieving some of the tension. Don't stop."

Toby grinned in victory. His fingertips slightly above her hips, he continued to make small circular motions there, working outwards, before moving up her back and then back down again. When he heard her breathing go back to normal - versus the labored breathing she was doing when he had arrived with her supplies- he smiled again. After a few minutes of this cycle, Toby bent over to move some of her hair aside, kissing her neck, her ear, and then her cheek.

"Better?" he asked, hopeful.

Spencer nodded, "A little."

"I'm going to make you some tea, okay?"

Standing up, he popped in _Titanic_, kissing her forehead before heading downstairs to prepare her hot tea. He had heard that hot liquid was helpful, and when he brought it back up to her, she expressed gratitude, a little more calm now. Kicking off his shoes and gathering her into his arms, he curled her up in his lap, his hands applying pressure to her stomach from behind her. Spencer rested her head against his chest, exhaling slowly. Moving to peck her lips, Toby nuzzled his head between her neck and shoulder, raining butterfly kisses where his sweatshirt on her body permitted.

"I'm glad you're here," Spencer whispered, locking her fingers around his on her stomach.

Toby caressed her fingers with his.

"There's no place else I'd rather be, Spence."

"I'm sorry for snapping at you." Spencer apologized, her voice shaking, "I practically beheaded you with my eyes and deafened you with my screaming and yet you're still here. And not to mention, you ventured into no man's land, which I must give you some serious credit for, because there aren't many boyfriends out there willing to buy their girlfriends sanitary supplies. Thank you."

Kissing her cheek, Toby declined them back against her headboard, "I'd venture into a dark forrest and slay a dragon or toss myself into an aquarium full of sharks or plunge into a volcano if it meant I'd be doing it for you."

"Into a volcano? Really?" Spencer snickered, "Funny you should mention sharks because I'm normally pretty tolerant to pain but today my body seems to be a Shark tank itself."

Toby chuckled with her, turning her head so that he could rub his nose against hers, "There's nothing I wouldn't do, if you asked me to."

"There's nothing you wouldn't do even if I _didn't _ask you to." Spencer added confidently.

They cuddled in contentment for awhile, not really paying attention to the movie. Spencer tickled the black yarn bracelet Toby wore on his right wrist, her other hand raking along his left thigh. Toby began humming the lyrics to Bloody Sunday in her hair and Spencer wrinkled her nose, giggling. Digging both of her hands into his knees on either side of hers, she growled.

"Your humor is not appreciated during this time."

"So you think I'm funny?"

"I don't think you're funny," Spencer giggled again, "And I am not going to encourage this behavior, because what I'm enduring right now should not be subject to your jokes. Period."

Toby stifled a laugh.

Spencer shook her head, "No pun intended."

When Toby burst into a fit of laughter against her ear, Spencer turned around, cupping his face.

"You're making me angry, Toby. You won't like me when I'm angry."

Toby ignored her warning, poking her nose with his index finger, "Oh, I've been witness to you when you're angry and I've lived to tell the tale, and believe me, I like it just fine. That little wrinkle you get over your nose? The pout you do," he grabbed her bottom lip between his fingertips and tugged on it as she pouted, "You're sexy when you're mad."

He paused, "Are you mad? Right now?"

Spencer played along, pushing herself up on her knees so that her lips brushed his, "Furious."

"Spencer mad," Toby teased, "Spencer smash!"

Her hair flying all over as she shook her head, Spencer pecked his lips, settling into his chest.

"No, Spencer sick. Spencer cuddle."

"You must be if you're referring to yourself in third person."

Wrapping her arms around his torso, Spencer shut her eyes, sighing happily.

"Spencer in love."

Toby smiled down at her, kissing the top of her head, "I wish I could do more to help you. I hate seeing you like this, in so much pain. Thank you for letting me be here today. I know that it took alot for you to allow me to come over and admit you were hurting, but I'm really glad I did."

Spencer tucked her arms under her stomach, smiling widely against Toby's shirt, his heartbeat singing to her ear and resonating deep within her soul. Truthfully, when Spencer was upset or ill, he was the first person she wanted to see. Being in his arms, his voice in her ear, Spencer knew that he was the only person that could instantly lighten her spirits.

"You being here and holding me does so much more than you know," she whispered, before the very last wall built around her descended, and she drifted off into a peaceful slumber, the very best medicine she could possibly have holding her tightly.

* * *

**Sorry for not updating in so long guys- my other story has been my primary focus and I've been working quite a bit this summer. Thanks for the stellar reviews! They make my day. PLL tonight! The spoby sneak peek looks yummy, right? xo. **


	6. A WRENch in Our Plans

_**As per request: Toby and Spencer running into Wren, and a very jealous Toby. Enjoy! xo.  
**_

_**A Wrench in Our Plans**_

"Toby, enough with the broken record player. I already told you, I'm fine."

Toby was pacing back and forth, the asylum white curtains in the Emergency Room allowing for some privacy as he muttered his apology to Spencer for the fifth time that afternoon. What had started out as a gorgeous day by the pool hard turned bloody. Toby had been chasing Spencer in her bikini, laughing hysterically as she tried to escape him from throwing her into the pool with him, when she had slipped and taken a fall, her head introducing itself to the cement. He of course had scooped her up into his arms and carried her to his car, running at least two stoplights to get her the medical attention he thought she needed. While Spencer had felt a bit faint, and there was no denying the light pulsing across her temple, she didn't think him barreling into the E.R. wing with her in his arms shouting "Help! Help!" was necessary. In fact, it was mortifying.

"Shouldn't have been chasing you. Should have just let you go."

When he was within reach, Spencer grabbed at his wrist, tugging him closer to her. A hand still to her head, she groaned.

"Toby," she said softly, removing the hand on her head to cup Toby's face, forcing him to look into her chocolate windows, "I'm fine. I swear to you. This is not your fault. Please, stop giving yourself the guilt treatment. I should have known better than to run on wet surfaces, I was asking for it."

His crystal eyes softened for a moment, as if he finally believed her, but then he glanced down at her blood stained hand and gasped. Pulling it to his lips, he shook his head again.

"All my fault. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

"And we're back. Toby listen I just-"

Spencer's intention to comfort him was lost when the curtains drew back and a short, dark haired doctor came in, a clipboard in hand. Her heart skipped a beat- the last time she was around Wren, she had been throwing herself at him in his apartment. She looked down quickly, biting her lip. She didn't want to look at Wren, and she certainly didn't want to look at Toby right now. She knew he'd be steaming.

Spencer couldn't be more on.

"Good afternoon, I'm Dr. Kingston and I'll be-" Wren caught off, smiling genuinely at his young patient, "Spencer, it's you. Hello."

His feet met the edge of her bed as if he had a boost from some sort of jet pack installed in his sneakers, and his hand was reaching out to squeeze her shoulder when Toby took a territorial stance on the other side of Spencer, taking her free hand in his so that Wren couldn't.

"You have got to be kidding me," Spencer heard Toby mumble angrily.

Giving Wren a brief, but polite, nod hello, Spencer looked down at her lap, swishing her feet around uncomfortably, "Hi, Wren."

Wren blinked, his face completely dazed by Spencer's beauty. "How are you?"

Spencer was cut off by Toby, who felt the need to speak on her behalf.

"How does she look? Aren't there any other doctors on duty? Or are you the only one in Rosewood?"

Finally acknowledging the shirtless (and shoeless) man beside him, Wren extended his hand, "Toby."

Toby didn't shake his hand, nor did he smile back. He gritted his teeth.

"You know, we really encourage that clothing be worn in the hospital at all times," Wren began smugly, "You've heard the saying, I'm sure. No shirt, no shoes, no service."

He looked to Spencer, lowering his voice as Toby plopped down on the chair nearby, "Granted a few exceptions would be welcomed..."

Spencer looked up at Wren, baffled that he still had the audacity to be so bold when Toby was within earshot. She didn't appreciate his forwardness, and she knew Toby wouldn't either. If he made one more comment like that, there would be blood all over, and not from the wound on her head.

As Wren moved to examine Spencer's laceration, Spencer winced, hissing as his gloved finger prodded at her still bleeding injury.

"Sorry about that. We'll get you all stitched up and sent home so you can enjoy the rest of this sunshine. Though, I hope that you're staying hydrated in this heat."

"She's been getting plenty of water," Toby growled from behind him.

Wren looked over Spencer's bikini top appreciatively, "Looks like it. How exactly did you manage this one?"

"We were- I was running." Spencer cleared her throat, looking up at Toby, "And I fell."

"Shouldn't have been chasing you..." Toby repeated softly, "My fault."

Wren looked back to scold Toby, but Spencer raised her voice, determined to prove it was only an accidental fall.

"It was an accident, really. You know how I can be. I'm just clumsy."

Smiling at the girl before him, Wren sterilized her wound, readying the needle, "Seems you have a thing for getting injured, doesn't it?"

"Seems you have a thing for underage girls in committed relationships, doesn't it?" Toby mocked back.

Wren chose to ignore his snarky comment and coughed, "Running around the pool is never a good idea. That's how I took a chunk out of my chin as a child-"

Toby folded his arms, scoffing. "Did you take a chunk of your brain out, too?"

Spencer shot Toby a look of disapproval, her lips tightening. As Wren pulled the thread through, she hissed, her hands digging into the side of the hospital gurney.

Toby was on his feet as soon as he saw her pained expression, though she quickly masked it well.

"I'm fine," Spencer insisted.

Wren squinted, nodding at Toby, "Look, mate, if you don't mind having a seat, you're blocking my light and I-"

Not moving from his position, Toby tightened his jaw, his eyes shooting daggers into Wren's head. When Toby refused to budge the second time he was asked, Wren put down his needle, glaring at the protective carpenter.

"Do you have a problem with me?" Wren challenged, "Because this is a healing place and we encourage and welcome positive energy and all I'm getting from you is a load of negativity, and clearly it's upsetting Spencer."

Toby looked down at Spencer, but she kept her eyes downcast, her mouth vowed to silence.

"Are you honestly asking that right now?" Toby asked with a huff, "Sounds like a _load_ of bullshit."

_Great, _Spencer thought. She wouldn't be surprised if Toby turned into a gorilla and began pounding on his chest.

"I'm going to have to ask that you please step out and wait outside. You're a distraction and that escalating tone is disruptive to the other patients."

Before Toby could even object, Spencer raised her hand up, dismissing him. Closing her eyes, she exhaled deeply.

"Toby, please, just...I'll be fine."

"Spencer," he started.

"Go."

Giving Wren his last threatening look, stepping towards him enough to tower over him and remind him who was in charge, Toby took one last look at Spencer, feeling hurt by her request, and disappeared. He made a fuss about shutting the curtain, cursing under his breath as he marched into the waiting area, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes on the ground. If not for the children waiting on the chairs near him, he would have punched the vending machine as a release. He couldn't believe Spencer would actually kick him out, not when Wren was in there. He was probably running his hands all over Spencer's body now that Toby was out of sight.

A few minutes later and he could hear Spencer thanking Wren, her hair bouncing as she came around the corner. Wren moved to hug her, and Spencer tried to reject it politely, but Wren grabbed her anyways. His eyes locked on Toby's, Wren moved his hand down Spencer's bare spine, before pulling back and shaking her hand. He gave Toby a triumphant smile as Spencer punched in a quick text to her worried friends, completely oblivious to the silent banter going on behind her back.

Wren stooped so low as to clap Toby on the shoulder, handing him a fresh cup of water, "Thought maybe you could use this to cool off, Toby." He lowered his voice, "Green with envy?"

Toby pulled back, taking the water from Wren, dumping it on Wren's pants, "Green with disgust. Spencer may find you harmless, but I see right through your little act. Touch my girlfriend again and I'll be giving you more than just loads of negative energy."

Toby didn't even wait for Wren to develop a comeback, but he muttered a "Let's go," to Spencer instead, booking it out of the double automatic doors towards his truck.

Spencer hastened her pace, scowling at her ill tempered boyfriend, "Toby! Toby!"

He didn't stop walking, and Spencer jogged to catch up to him as they neared the parking garage, giving them some shade- and privacy. They were rounding Toby's truck now and Spencer was ready to chew him out for his rash behavior.

"Toby, what the hell was that all abo-"

The firm grip on her elbows as Toby pushed her into the truck through his door startled Spencer and she started yelling at him to let her go, but Toby crawled in, slamming the door behind him. Pushing her back onto the seat, cupping her neck for support, but still rough in his movements, he leaned over her, pressing his hips into hers to keep her from breaking free of his hold.

"Toby what are you do..."

His lips caught hers roughly, his tongue pushing through her lips and running along the roof of her mouth, exploring the depths of it. Spencer moaned at his sudden urgency, moving her hands to entangle in his hair, tugging on it as he pried her mouth open. Latching around her tongue, he pulled back, causing her to moan again, before he bit down on her bottom lip and slowly pulled back. Her breathing completely labored, Toby smirked down at her, pulling her in for another kiss. He kissed her roughly and he kissed her deeply. Feeling Toby pull back, Spencer opened her eyes, panting. She could feel everything through the thin material of his swim shorts and gasped. She was dizzy again- and not because of her wound to the head.

"- ing. What was that?" she whimpered.

Kissing the tip of her nose, Toby pressed his forehead against hers, his voice still laced with jealousy. "Just reminding you that I'm the _only_ person who should be able to kiss you like _that_."

"You are."

"Good."

Spencer ran a hand through her hair, attempting (and failing) to compose herself, "Good," she repeated breathlessly.

They looked at each other hungrily, their chests synchronized as they tried to recover from the intensity of Toby's aggressive kissing.

"So, so good," she whispered, pulling him back down for another kiss, "Jealousy is a good look for you."

"Who said I was jealous?" Toby hissed, sitting up and plugging his keys into the ignition, rolling down his window.

Spencer attended to her now sloppy hair, scooting over to be closer to him, "Don't be so ashamed, Toby. I thought it was kind of hot."

"No, what would have been hot is if I had punched him square in his-"

Her lips silenced him before she wrapped her arm around his toned one, squeezing the muscle there and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Only you," Spencer whispered into his ear, glancing around the dimly lit lot for signs of life, and finding none, "Can kiss me like that, and look at me like this. And only you," she grabbed his hand and placed it on her thigh, guiding it up, "Can touch me like this."

Reaching around to capture the hand gripping his steering wheel, she placed it over her heavily beating heart, "And only you can make me feel this way. Most importantly, only _you _have my heart."


	7. A Welcomed Surprise

_**As per request, Spencer and Toby: Date Night. Thanks for all the ideas, guys! It is so appreciated, and I couldn't have done it without you!** _

**A Welcomed Surprise **

"You know, if you're planning on murdering me and hacking me into little shards before you ship me off to cannibal mountain, you should know, I have yet to draft a will. Hanna will be devastated if she doesn't inherit my shoe collection."

A blind fold snug around her eyes- but not tight enough to harm her- Spencer folded her arms across her chest, her body bouncing up and down as Toby drove them to a mysterious location. It was their date night- something they planned at least once a week. Spencer was never really big on surprises, and Toby was aware of this little fact, but chose to keep his plans for the night under wraps regardless, being the old fashioned romantic he was. Flashing her a look of disbelief, Toby set his truck in park.

"You spend way too much time holed up in your bedroom watching Fear Net marathons."

"Why watch them when you've experienced them?" Spencer asked dryly.

Realizing that the vehicle she had been swept away in while walking home from class at Hollis had now come to a complete stop, her fingers inched up to push back her blind fold, anxious to take a peak at their current location.

Toby was one step ahead of her, and had swung around to the passenger door, pulling it open with ease as it creaked, his hand cupping her shoulder. "Ah-ah-ah. Did I permit you to look just yet? Patience."

"Toby," Spencer sighed, "We've been dating for months. There are two things I lack: the ability to relax when my boyfriend kidnaps me at gun point, and patience."

"Hey," Toby laughed, "_Water_ gun point, first of all. Second of all? These things I _do _know."

He patted her leg softly, before remove all contact with her skin, "Stay right there."

"Maybe you should have tied up my feet, too. Just a tip for future kidnapping escapades!"

Toby was back within an instant, his breathing slightly labored. "That would be barbaric. Technically, you know, it's not kidnapping since I recall you shooting yourself in through the door and pouncing me enthusiastically. You had no objections. I didn't even need the water gun."

"Well I hadn't seen you all week!"

Leaning over to unbuckle Spencer's seat belt for her, Toby smiled lovingly at his girlfriend. Rubbing his nose against hers, he brushed his lips over her open ones, silencing her.

"Mmm," Spencer moaned, a smile growing on her face as she reached up to tangle her fingers through Toby's locks, "You taste like peanut butter. Did you have..." she kissed him quickly, running her tongue over his upper lip, "Peanut butter pie for dinner?"

Toby chuckled, "I blindfold you and suddenly you have Spidey senses. Yes, as a matter of fact, I did, and it was delicious. What did you have?"

Keeping hold of her position against his forehead, Spencer blindly reached out to cup his face, "That's...nutritious, Toby."

"Yeah, well, that's the beauty of no longer living under the same roof as health conscious control freaks. I can have cold pizza for breakfast, breakfast for lunch, and dessert before dinner."

"Sounds like everything you ever hoped for." Spencer teased, picking at the collar of his shirt, "I have yet to have dinner, actually."

On cue, her stomach decided to make an announcement, and Spencer cringed as Toby laughed at her.

"It is. _Almost. _There's just one thing missing from my loft and then I'll have everything I ever wanted," he said softly, brushing some strings of hair from her eyes, "But I'm working on that."

The ice sensation escalating up Spencer's spine as the hair on her arms did handstands, Spencer had a feeling he was referring to not an inanimate object like a new dishwasher, or a pool table, or an exhibit from the art gallery down the street. She would give anything to simply ditch her family and go live with Toby in his loft, but she wasn't quite ready to play domesticated house wife yet, and she knew that finishing high school was her main priority right now.

Rotating Spencer by her legs so that they stuck out of the now ajar door, Toby took her hands in his, "I figured you were too wrapped up in your books to take a food break. Which is why," he tugged on her hand, assisting her as she stepped down, "I packed you a slice."

"You're kidding?"

"I am. I actually made you dinner and brought it with. I know how picky you are when it comes to what you intake."

"So thoughtful. I knew I kept you around for a reason," Spencer grinned, her feet planting steadily on the ground.

Guiding her, his hand pushed through hers, Toby walked towards his surprise, not able to hide his excitement, though the perspiration on his palm as Spencer pressed hers against it indicated that he was also pretty nervous. Coming to a halt, he stood directly in front of her, bringing both hands up to release her from the handkerchief around her eyes. He smiled brightly as her beautiful mocha eyes greeted his, the butterflies in his stomach quickly morphing into hawks. Wrapping his arms around her petite waist, he drew her into him.

"Hi," he said gently.

"Hi," Spencer whispered back, looping her fingers through the pockets of Toby's faded jeans, "This is the best surprise. I love the view."

She was making reference to his eyes as they bore into hers, a view she never tired of marveling over. The outline of his muscles through his shirt was just a bonus, and the manner in which he was gazing down at her made her knees buckle.

Pressing his lips together, Toby tutted at Spencer, giving her hips a squeeze, "Cute. But," he stepped aside, "I'm not the surprise. This is."

Spencer would know this area anywhere, being as she spent at least six hours a day here. It was Hollis' campus in town, and they were in the middle of the student central area, the large fountain now aglow with fairy lights that she was sure Toby had strung himself- though she wasn't sure when he would have managed to pull this off considering she had only been here a few hours ago, and hadn't noticed. Then again, she had been holed up in the library, on the opposite side of campus, and when she left, she still had her nose in the book she was reading, and probably walked right past him setting it up. Deciding she would only confuse herself further if she attempted to crack this mystery, and noting that he must have had outside help, and that Toby must have driven them around in circles a few times to throw her off- or give time for his accomplice to set this up- Spencer scoffed.

"Okay," she drew out cluelessly, "The Hollis fountain? That's very...cool?"

Toby's eyes rolled upwards. "You're going to answer the wild calls of your stomach, and then you and I are..."

He moved to the bed of his truck, whipping out a large inflatable, "Going to go for a swim. I know technically you're supposed to wait half an hour, but I promise I won't let you drown."

"Toby!" Spencer cried, "Do you know how much trouble we'll get into if we get caught? Canoodling in the fountain is strictly prohibited! I watched them haul off a drunken Junior last week after he moved his couch in here and told everyone it was the _Friends'_ fountain!"

Toby shook his head at her, "That's only if we get caught," he smirked at her, raising a brow, "But if you're too uptight to get a little risque-"

Spencer was quick to object, her hands planted on his chest, "No, no! I just, don't want to break any rules, that's all. Which I guess makes me a prude."

"You are a prude, but I love you and accept it," Toby acknowledged, "And we're not breaking any rules, here. We're just...bending them. If campus security drives by, which they won't because it's a Friday night and they have lives, too, we'll just pretend we don't speak English. C'mon..." he pleaded, "Take the leap with me?"

Some time later, after Toby insisted on spoon feeding Spencer the dinner he had slaved over- which was pasta- Toby stood on the ledge of the fountain, tugging on his shirt until it was strewn aside near the picnic basket he had brought. Nodding at Spencer to indicate it was her turn, he bit his lip.

"You wouldn't happen to have a swimsuit handy in that picnic basket, would you?" Spencer asked meekly, her eyes giving an appreciative scan over Toby's body as he stripped down before her.

"Must have slipped my mind," he lied, "But if you're not game..."

Hoisting herself up, and being sure to use him as a ladder in the process, Spencer crossed her arms over her chest, her fingers digging into the hem of her shirt, before she slowly eased it up and over her head, letting it join Toby's on the side. Now clad in a turquoise bra that gave volume to her usually semi-flat chest, and her denim skirt, she urged Toby to take his turn.

Toby lost track of his motives once Spencer was free of her tank top, his eyes bolted to her newly exposed skin. Ever the gentleman, he quickly shook out of it, kicking off his shoes. His bashful look to the side as Spencer fumbled with the buttons on her shorts only made Spencer giggle, and his try at giving her some privacy went down the drain. If anything got him into trouble, it was the miles of legs that were now gracing his view, stepping towards him. Spencer's cold fingers running along his waist band and undoing the button in the front for him made him giddy.

"Your turn, handsome," she challenged.

Down to his boxers, Toby watched Spencer as she openly gawked at him, her eyes moving in every direction. Eliminating any space between them, Spencer pressed her body against his, her lips looking as plump as ever to Toby.

"Now what?" she asked.

Allowing himself another minute to take in her beauty, Toby turned around, nodding for her to get onto his back, "Now we..." he waited until she was securely on him, her legs wrapping around him, "Get Spencer wet!"

Spencer squealed as he dashed into the fountain, the water splashing upwards onto her feet, "Toby!"

Spinning them around under the faucet of water, getting them damp in the process, Toby held securely onto one of Spencer's thighs, the other out into the air as her laughter rang out in his ears. She automatically wrapped herself around him even further, her fingers digging into his shoulders as the refreshing water danced along her backside. He spun them until he nearly lost his balance, before lowering Spencer down. She playfully pushed him backwards, knowing he was experiencing the same dizzy spell that she was, before running off, hiding behind the pillar of the fountain, waiting for him to pursue her. It didn't take him long to become oriented again, and soon he had caught up to her, giving her a jump start with his hands at her hips, causing her to shriek. Spencer took off again, and Toby chased her, bending over to splash water at her simultaneously. Finally catching up to her, he had her cornered. Spencer was laughing hysterically now, facing him, her arms out to protect herself, as she kicked her foot up to splash him back.

Toby's mischievous glint in his hypnotic blues distracted her, and before she knew it, he had picked her back up, wrapping her legs around his torso. He began walking backwards, heading for the line of fire where the water came down into the fountain, knowing he would completely soak her.

"No," Spencer warned, though she giggled, "No, no, no! Don't even think about it...Toby. Toby! Toby, no!"

He was inching closer and closer, the mist from the fountain in her face as he laughed at her.

"Don't you dare!" Spencer tried again.

Always up for a challenge, Toby of course took the final step backwards, drenching them both as the water cascading down onto their shoulders and heads. Spencer yelped again, leaning her head against Toby's her eyes shutting. Her back arched at the sudden chill, and she gasped, spitting out his name over the water. Feeling Spencer press her chest against his, Toby's eyes shot open. Not able to tear his eyes off of her, despite the water tunneling around them, he kept his forehead against hers, his smile fading. Adjusting to the water, Spencer opened her eyes, meeting Toby's. He was looking at her intensely, and the knots in her stomach weren't from the feast she had just devoured. Instead of kissing her like she would have preferred, Toby pushed her backwards carefully, keeping their hips together. His hand on her lower back, the other cradling her neck, he watched her slowly decline, her arms sticking out like the wings of an airplane. Her head falling back, he cautiously moved them so that they were spinning in slow motion, the water hitting her body gracefully. Spencer let her eyes fall shut again, throwing her head back as she enjoyed the moment- loving the feeling of the water along her ribs and arms and the feeling of Toby's warm hands running along her back.

It was the most relaxed Toby had seen Spencer in a while, and even though she was now very slippery, he vowed not to let her fall. The water was only ankle deep, so he was being extremely cautious. Admiring the girl in his arms, Toby licked his lips, gradually pulling her back. Their hips still welted together, her chest met his, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, her head still thrown back as he inched her closer. Her neck arched for access, Toby rained a series of kisses up her collarbone to the most delicate patch of skin on her neck, where he bit down gently. She moaned lightly, and his lips vibrated against her throat.

Kissing upwards to her jaw, until their lips fused together, Toby pulled her even closer, his arms wrapping around her back. They kissed slowly and deeply, not even caring that the water was still drizzling down their shoulders.

Lost in the moment they were completely oblivious to the lone campus security golf cart that was inching nearer by the second.

Toby was the first to hear the vehicle approaching, and pulled back abruptly from Spencer's lips. Spencer groaned at the loss of contact, trying to return her lips to his, but Toby lowered her down, hurrying towards the switch for the lights. He cut them, swishing around in the dark of the night until he could feel Spencer's hand on his arm, and he could hear he questioning why he killed the mood.

"Ssh," he hissed, squatting down, and pulling her with him. He motioned to the flashlight that was nearing the fountain.

Spencer's eyes widened and she pinched Toby's arm, "I told you!"

"Ouch!" Toby whispered, "That wasn't very nice!"

When the light shined in their direction, Toby gulped. Careful not to injure her, and careful not to make too much noise, Toby pushed Spencer backwards, her head against the middle pillar of the fountain, her back rubbing against the bottom where countless pennies had collected. Positioning his body over hers horizontally, he kept his finger on her lip, their heads low. The light faded and the footsteps grew lighter, before they heard the golf cart move on to another area of campus. The coast now clear, Spencer tried to sit up, but was interrupted by Toby's lips searching for hers. Though in the back of her head the OCD part of her was tempted to argue with Toby that this wasn't exactly sanitary, Spencer was quite enjoying the way his lips moved vigorously with hers. The water that was water-falling down around them, concealing them like a curtain, as the only background noise, Spencer let her legs entangle with Toby's.

And as they kissed under the stars, despite the sensation of the coins against her spine, Spencer couldn't help but smile against Toby's supple lips. There was something thrilling about knowing that any moment they could be caught and removed by security, but there was also something so romantic about kissing the person you love in a fountain. She reckoned that even if she collected every single penny in the fountain, she couldn't wish for anything better than Toby, because she was convinced that it didn't exist.

Her fingers wrapping stealthily around a coin, Spencer squeezed it in her palm, not wishing for anything else than this moment, or the man whispering how much he adored her in between kisses, but that she could have this moment- and this boy- forever.


	8. Girlfriend on a Mission

**Another request: Spencer visits Toby at work. Thanks for the ideas folks! xo. Keep those pretty little reviews coming in and I'll get the next one up sometime tomorrow. **

* * *

**Girlfriend on a Mission  
**

Swinging her legs around the driver's seat, Spencer pried her door open. She was on a mission.

The series of flirtatious text messages Toby had sent her during her three hour morning class at Hollis had succeeded in distracting her from finishing her essay, and had ultimately led her to being publicly humiliated by her professor for having her phone out during class. Toby taunting her with visions of him shirtless, sweaty and glistening under the summer afternoon rays had her all worked up, and it was hardly fair. When he played games he always ended up winning them, and Spencer hated it. She was set on paying him back- and she was going to win.

The cat whistles she received as she sashayed her way across the work site on Timmerman Avenue were worthy of a mental fist pump. She had tried to capture that girl next door handing out lemonade to construction workers look, and was fully satisfied that the men on were giving her a green check mark. The white pumps she had on to abduct eyeballs everywhere to her thighs of thunder clanked across the gravel in a swift pattern.

As soon as class had dismissed- and her professor pulled her aside for a sequel to his scolding- Spencer had hurried home and changed. She had discovered in the back of her closet a sundress that she felt was perfect for catching the eye of any man with two legs and shimmied into it. It was a vintage spaghetti strap dress that dipped into a V at the top, showing just enough cleavage, and curtained out at her hips. The red shade was hard to ignore, especially when she accessorized with some vintage inspired matching lipstick. Now here she was, ready to distract Toby, only in person. She was always one to take it a step up when they had these little competitions.

Another wolf whistle rang through her eardrums as she scuttled through, a little bit of a pep in her step.

"Hey, baby, you lost? Want me to come find you?" one man hollered.

"How was Heaven when you left it?" another one flirted, flexing his arms for her as she paraded by.

Normally, Spencer would march straight over to the pigs and give them a strict talking to about how degrading they were being towards not just her, but women everywhere, but today she didn't have time. Instead of telling the man with glasses that she was not in fact purchasing tickets to his gun show, she cleared her throat. Advertising them with a sideways grin, she waved a dainty hello to her multiplying in-size onlookers.

"Hi, boys," she rasped, "You wouldn't happen to know where I'd find a Toby Cavanaugh, would you? I've got a special delivery."

"Hey, if you've got time, go ahead and ship yourself my way."

Turning on her heels, Spencer pursed her lips, trying to think of a witty come back. "Sorry, priority mail."

This red bearded burly man wasn't taking no for an answer and pressed his luck again, lowering his hard hat. "Well if I can't have the privilege of opening your envelope, maybe you could just send me some pictures?"

Her sweet lemonade stand facade disappearing rapidly as the men around her began treating her like a pin-up star, Spencer's curls flying in every which direction, she was relieved when the manager on site stepped forward to play referee.

"Don't pay these low lifes any mind. You're just the first pretty thing we've had the company of all day and I think the heat is really starting to fry the last of their chivalry. Who you looking for?"

Spencer smiled. "Toby, Toby Cavanaugh."

"Ah, Cavanaugh; one of my best. I'll point you in the right direction. And you pigs, get back to work!"

Sure enough, there he was. Sending the helpful gentleman a thank you, Spencer hastened her walking pace, her eyes locked on the shirtless Greek God that she had the pleasure of calling her boyfriend as he tore up some shingles on a nearby roof. His co-workers saw her first, and they elbowed one another, clearly making jokes. She heard one of them call dibs on her and winced.

Toby was the next to see her, and the plastic cup he had in his hand landed across from her feet. Shading his eyes to get a better view he gasped.

"Spencer?" he called out, "What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like...that?"

Smirking, Spencer held up the sack she had brought with her, "I brought your lunch, honey! You forgot it on the counter this morning and I just couldn't let my baby boy go hungry! I made you a sandwich with the crust cut off and I even cut your sandwich into little hearts just like you like!"

Even though he was another story up, and the sun was half blinding her, Spencer could still see that Toby was positively mortified by what had just flown out of her mouth. The men beside him sniggered, he mumbled something and then climbed down the side of the house with the makeshift ladder. Making sure to jump the last two steps, Toby stomped nearer to a smirking Spencer, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her off to the side.

His eyes on the men above him, he scowled, and then looked back at the brunette. "Spencer, what the hell?"

Adding to her show, Spencer licked her palm and smoothed down his hair, parting it down the middle, "Is that anyway to speak to the woman that just drove across town to bring her baby some fuel? Besides, I know you missed me. I missed_ you_."

Her fingers grazing his tool-belt, she robbed him of one of his tools, holding it up between them, "That's a mighty big hammer you've got there, carpenter."

"Spencer," Toby growled lowly, "What are you doing? Why are you here?"

"I already told you," she laughed, dropping the hammer back into its' rightful pocket, "I brought you lunch."

"You never bring me lunch."

"Until today."

"Yeah, why today? What makes today so special?" he looked around, "I'm working here."

Ignoring his protests and reaching into the sack, she pulled out his sandwich and nudged him until he sat down on a tree stump. She saw him roll his eyes, but sat in his lap anyways, holding out the sandwich in front of his mouth, prompting him to take a bite.

He frowned. "I can hold it myself, thank you."

"Someone's got a case of the grumps today. Maybe you've been working that body too hard. Here," she stood up, dusting off her dress, before circling around to place her hands on his shoulders, massaging the skin there, "How's that feel?"

"Spencer, not now. I'm not in the mood. You came over here deliberately trying to stir up trouble. If I lose my focus these people will know when it rains first hand."

His shoulders sinking, Spencer bit her lip to keep from laughing, "Aw, come on, baby, you were all game to play dirty this morning while I was in class, and you got me into trouble. Now you're not in the mood? I got all dressed up for you!"

Leaning closer, her fingers sliding down his chiseled abdominals, she whispered in his ear, "And I was thinking later I'd get all dressed _down_ for you."

Toby groaned, watching as she circled back around and once again took a spot on his knee. "I get it."

"Get what?" Spencer inquired innocently.

"I get what you're doing here. You're trying to get me back for all those texts I sent you earlier." Toby grinned, "I must have gotten you all worked up and it must have really frustrated you knowing there was nothing you could do about it."

"What makes you think you're capable of getting me flustered, huh?"

Ignoring her question completely, Toby moved his hand up her thigh, teasing the edge of her dress, "It's sweet that you drove all the way here to bring me lunch as your excuse to see me. And you're right- I'm famished."

Grabbing the sandwich again, he quickly shoveled it down his throat, tossing a handful of potato chips and baby carrots into his palm, before ravishing those as well. Spencer watched, her foot tapping impatiently as he gorged down everything she had packed him. Smacking his lips obnoxiously, he shifted her on his lap, "You know, you owe me a drink."

"Why?" Spencer whispered coldly.

"Because," Toby took the ice-cold water bottle out, running it up her leg, "You made me drop mine."

Her game quickly unraveling and backfiring on her, she whimpered lightly at the icy sensation against her inner thigh. Toby's lips were invading her personal bubble, hovering right above hers, and she couldn't manage to take her eyes off of them as they moved when he spoke again.

"You look so sexy. I can't wait to meet up with you later and run my hands all over you and kiss you here," he poked at her neck, before her chest, shoulder, and her bellybutton, "And here and here," his hand got bolder, grazing her hips, "And here."

Spencer's exterior was melting away rapidly, and her eyes fluttered shut as Toby's warm breath tickled her cheek. He pulled back all too soon, causing her to squeak.

"Well, look at that," Toby guzzled down the last of the water, scooting her off his lap and tossing her the empty bottle, "I've got to get back to work. Thanks for the lunch..._baby_."

Spencer wasn't confident the sound that emitted her throat was even human as Toby retreated back up to the roof, sure to send her winks over his shoulder in the meantime. Here she had arrived thinking she owned the place, that she was going to knock his socks off, and here he had turned the tables on her and switched it up, enabling her from functioning. The watch on her wrist indicated that it would be another five hours before he would get off of work, and another half hour on top of that before they'd meet up at her house. Spencer wasn't sure if she could wait that long.

Swallowing the acid in her throat, Spencer snapped out of her trance Toby had hexed her with. Disposing of the waste leftover from his lunch, she positioned her sunglasses over her nose and looked up at him, grinning that he was still watching her- and that he was visibly disoriented. As he dropped his hammer on his foot and cursed loud enough to scare away a few birds nearby, Spencer giggled under her breath. Waving up at him she dangled her car keys in her free hand.

"Goodbye, Toby!"

"Hey!" Toby cried, "I'll see you later, right? Your place?"

Spencer shrugged, "You might. You might not. Have a great day, honey!"

Turning and walking away, no longer able to stop herself from laughing out loud, she nearly jogged back to her car. She was sure to tune out all the inappropriate gestures being made towards her by the group of men on site. Backing out of the gravel driveway, she headed for his apartment, the key in her vision that Toby had given to her about a week ago. He had underestimated her ability to drive the karma bus and she planned on waiting for him to get home.

Later on, as Toby opened up the various pictures Spencer had sent him, he nearly fell off of the roof they were repairing. She was in his apartment without him and she was very good at rubbing it in. As she kept sending them in, one of her in one of his shirts, one of his bed, one of his shower- all in which she sent words like 'Too bad you're not here'- the countdown to get home was painfully slow. And even though it was clearly one of her games, Toby wished that Spencer would visit him at work _everyday_.


	9. Anticipation

**You asked for it, now here it is :) What happens when Toby gets home following Spencer's visit. Loving all the suggestions guys! One thing- these one shots are based on the missing 6 months before the time jump this season, which means writing a one shot where Spencer discovers she is pregnant with Audrey won't fit. BUT, you will be seeing it in the future as I will be doing a prequel to AATWBT shortly. Here are the requests I have received thus far that I will be writing:**

**- Spencer staying at Toby's**

**-Toby giving Spencer the rocking chair back (For those wondering, the rocking chair is what Toby built Spencer when they discuss it in that deleted 201 scene)**

**-Spoby babysitting **

**-Another Spoby date night**

**Your amazing reviews are absolutely wonderful and determine the speed in which the next installment is posted. **

* * *

**Anticipation **

Barreling down the street, Toby was going at least ten over the posted speed limit. He knew he really shouldn't push his luck considering his history with the _Rosewood Police Department_, but he couldn't wait any longer to get back to Spencer. She was in his apartment wreaking havoc- and was now apparently, according to her last text sent about half an hour ago, wearing his shirt...and _only_ his shirt.

After she had paid him a surprise visit at work, he could hardly hide his anxiousness. He begged his boss to let him off early, complaining of a "stomach ache.'' Now, normally Toby Cavanaugh was not one to fib, but that was before he started dating Spencer Hastings. Now he was still pretty disinclined and honorable, but a little lie here and there to protect her (or see her) was worth all the potential liabilities.

He almost passed _Matilda's Floral Shop_, debating whether or not Spencer actually deserved a bouquet of flowers after the stunt she pulled at his work site. Being the chivalrous soul he was, he decided to swing by the shop and get her some anyways. He was just that kind of a boyfriend. Of course, the antiquated Ms. Matilda needed some assistance lifting some elephantine vases for display, and Toby was never one to walk away when someone needed help. His muscles were hard to miss these days, and Ms. Matilda ended up requesting he do a few more light chores before she rang him up for his purchase. Her liver spotted hands trembling, Toby bit his tongue as she counted out his change. His eyes sneaking towards the equally ancient clock behind them, he politely nodded at her. His three minute detour to get his lady flowers had turned into a 25 minute nuisance.

"You can just keep the change. Thank you!"

When he finally pulled into the parking spot designated in the back alley for him, he attempted to put his blinders on, set on not running into anyone wanting to make small talk in the cafe. As luck would have it, Emily was there, and ended up spinning up a full conversation about how much she missed Maya. Trying his best to remain collective and yet still supportive, he listened for a bit, before slowly backing up the stairs, hoping Emily would catch his drift. She did, but after 10 minutes had been extracted from his plans. Scrolling through his inbox as he rounded the door for his loft, he re-read Spencer's kittenish messages for about the twelfth time that afternoon. He could not stop thinking about her. Things between he and Spencer were growing increasingly heated and the tension was almost intolerable at times. Daydreaming about pinning her to the door and kissing her, he charged into his loft, locking and bolting the door behind him.

His larger than life smile faded as he called out her name, his loft seemingly vacant of another human presence. He did notice a basket of laundry on his sofa, which indicated that Spencer had taken it upon herself to wash some of his clothes again. Looking at his mantle across from his couch, he noticed that Spencer had rearranged some of his nick-knacks; a habit of hers. Every time she came over, she'd rearrange his belongings, telling him his place needed some serious Feng-shuing. Toby of course, let her, but would move everything back to original coordinates once she left.

His bedroom door open just a crack, he grinned again, already removing his shirt in anticipation of what was behind it. Not satisfied with his current state, he made a quick short cut to the restroom, washing his face and spraying on some cologne.

"Spencer," he projected coyly, "I'm home! I've been thinking about you all day and I just couldn't wait anymore! I brought you some flow-"

His words fell short as he kicked open the door. His sheets a mess- because he never made his bed- his smile vanished. Spencer was in his bed alright, clad in just his shirt, but she was snoozing. Even though he was feeling quite needy, he still didn't have the heart to disturb her from her slumber, knowing for a fact that she didn't sleep well at her house. Who was he to rob her off some recharging for his own selfish needs? Putting them aside, he placed the flowers in front of her on the mattress.

Spencer's hair in waves around her face, Toby sat down on the side of the bed, brushing them aside in an angel's whisper. She looked adorable curled up, her mouth downwards in a slight pout, her long eyelashes curled upwards. Even though it had to be at least ninety degrees outside, he saw her shiver and pulled up his sheets to cover her. Tucking them snugly around her shoulders, he lingered over her, watching her sleep. As frustrated he was that she was asleep instead of partaking in his original plans, he had to admit he was flattered that she felt safe enough in his home to let her guard down and doze off. He knew her napping probably wasn't intentional. Leaving her a light kiss on the forehead, he moved to get up. A shower would do him good, so he opted for one followed by a snack and some cartoons to pass time.

When the clock on his mantle indicated an hour had passed and Spencer still hadn't woken up, he groaned, flicking the TV off. By this time he had cooled down completely, but he was still fairly disappointed. Traveling back into his room, deciding it wouldn't hurt him to take a nap too, he drew the curtains shut and climbed in next to her, careful not to shift the bed too much under his weight. Giving her a quick kiss on the nose, he rolled over, his back to her.

He was half asleep when he felt her lips press against the dip between his shoulder blades and he couldn't help but smile. Her arm draping under his, he took her hand and gave it a light tug.

"Hey, sleepy head," he whispered, "How are you?"

Spencer yawned, stretching out her toes, before pressing them against Toby's legs- something she knew drove him insane because her feet were just about as frigid as snow.

"Thank you for the flowers," she mumbled sleepily.

Toby let his eyes fall shut, yawning back, "You're welcome, beautiful. Missed you."

Not satisfied by the lack of eye contact as he lay with his back to her, Spencer turned his face by grabbing his chin, leaning over him for a kiss. He pecked her lips, about to roll back over, but Spencer wasn't having it. She knew exactly where they had left off in their little game and was suddenly alert enough to want to finish it. She smell his cologne and it was already invading her nostrils, kicking her hormones into overdrive.

Straddling him, and forcing him to roll over onto his back, Spencer smirked down at him, "I missed you, too. Especially when I was in your shower."

"Wow, you're really out to torture me today, aren't you?"

"You started it," Spencer teased.

"Yeah," Toby agreed, his eyes roaming up her body, "And I'm going to finish it."

His swift repositioning of their bodies so that she was pressed against the mattress startled her, and she gasped. Toby took advantage of her mouth being agape and kissed her fiercely, intensifying the kiss when she moaned lightly. Her hands bouncing from his shoulders, to his chest, to his arms, to his hair and then back to cup his face, Spencer wished that Toby could be her alarm clock every day. He was kissing her in a more rough manner than usual, but she adapted quickly to the change and kissed him back with equal force, her hands descending down to undo the buckle on his jeans. He let her and assisted in kicking them down past his ankles.

"Toby," Spencer vibrated against his lips as his fingers grazed up her thighs, pushing the shirt she was wearing up in the process.

With each inch of skin he revealed, Toby moved down to worship each spot with his lips. The sounds Spencer made served as his cheerleader and when it was at last time to dispose of the shirt all together, he eagerly pulled it up over her arms.

Reaching down for his next layer of clothing, Spencer grinned, taking his earlobe into her mouth, raking her teeth across it. When she heard him hiss, she giggled, which earned her a low grunt. All of their frustration that had built up that morning and afternoon finally about to be pacified, both groaned dramatically in protest when Spencer's phone rang.

"Just ignore it," Toby petitioned, raining kisses along her stomach.

Spencer agreed, once again attempting to rid Toby of his last remaining barrier. She sighed in relief when it went to voicemail, more and more of Toby's skin being unveiled as she tugged on his boxers. They were so close-

The abrupt drumming on the door startled Spencer, and she kneed Toby square in the chest. He yelped, falling onto his side, clutching the area of impact as she scrambled to assess his injury.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she cried, "Toby, are you alright?"

"Spencer! Spencer? Spencer, are you in there? Hello?"

"Oh God!" Spencer gasped, covering her mouth, hoping that her mother hadn't heard her outburst.

The pounding ceased for a moment, and Spencer assumed that she and a very frustrated Toby could pick up right where they left off, but the universe had other plans. Both her phone and his doorbell going off simultaneously, she growled.

"You have got to be kidding me," Toby sniveled, "I can't answer the door like this!"

Following his eyes, Spencer bit her lip. Her mother's desperate knuckling against the door brought her back to reality, and she moved her eyes to Toby's face, giving him an apologetic smile. No one was more sorry than she was at the moment.

"Spencer!"

"I'M COMING!"

Turning back to Toby, Spencer threw herself on him, kissing him deeply. He responded instantly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her onto his lap. She wanted so badly to stay and continue this, especially when Toby was pouting at her the way he was, but she knew her mother would never leave. Removing herself from his hold, she grabbed her purse and flowers before disappearing into his living room.

"Uh, Spence?" she heard him call out.

Following her, Toby held up the dress she had arrived in, "I think you're forgetting something."

Cursing, she yanked it away from his hand and pulled it over her head, zipping up the back. Her fingers tugging on his boxers to move him closer, Spencer stood on her tip-toes for a goodbye kiss. It got a little bit more carried away than she had bargained for and Toby pressed his hips against hers, earning him another light moan.

"I so wish I could stay."

"So do I," Toby sighed, bobbing his forehead against hers.

"Come by later?" Spencer offered, "There's a few four star- review worthy movie playing at the drive inn in Yardley. I thought maybe we could give it a shot? I'll even pick you up some of those candies you love so much."

"It's a date."

As if by magnetic force, her lips returned to his, "I love you."

He smiled, his hand holding onto hers until the last possible minute as she reached for the door knob, "Love you more."

"You realize this constitutes as being a corny, clichéd couple because I love you so much more than you th-"

"Spencer Jill Hastings!" Veronica screamed.

"I SAID I'M COMING!" Spencer yelled back, waving at Toby, "She is going to be the death of me, I swear. Bye."

Locking the door behind her, Toby laughed.

He may have a date with Spencer later, but right now he was sorely in need of a date with his shower..._again. _


	10. Be My Last?

_**Be My Last **_

The sensation of Toby's lips grazing against her ear resulted in the hairs on her arm sticking straight up.

"Do you want to get out of here?"

What had begun as an innocent night at the Yardley Drive-In watching action movies had launched into something else completely. One minute Spencer was nibbling on Swedish Fish (Toby's favorite candy), making some wise ass joke about Tom Cruise and the next she was kissing Toby passionately, her fingers raking wildly through his hair. It fascinated her how quickly the dynamic had changed with one swift movement of his hand from resting on the seat to running up the back of her shirt. After the day they had endured, she figured Toby wanted to pick up where their scheduled program had been interrupted by her mother pounding on Toby's door, and after contemplating her two options for a monologue, Spencer agreed.

Toby grinned up at her, rubbing his nose back and forth against hers, "You have to hop off of me so I can drive."

"Oh," Spencer hiccuped, feeling flustered, "Right, I'm sure that would make driving easier. Sorry."

"You don't make anything easier." Toby snarled, his truck roaring to life as he backed out of their spot.

Waiting until he was down to the end of the row as not to disturb fellow movie goers, he turned on his headlights, proceeding towards the exit nearest them. Aside from the dim lights on his beloved truck, the roads of Yardley were dark and had an eerie vibe to them. Most of the roads were in serious need to some TLC, and from what Spencer had seen when they first arrived prior to the showing of the double feature movie that was due to run until 2am, the houses were just as abandoned. From what she understood, Yardley had been a happening town back in the late 1950's, but upon the closing of the town's factory, just about everyone packed up for other job prospects. Now, the town was starting to come back to life, and Toby had been driving the hour distance to help with some maintenance and construction of a few new homes and shops for anticipated tourism. It was neat to get a brief drive-by tour of the town Toby spent so many weekends earning a paycheck in, but she had to admit she was uneasy at the thought of him being there. Maybe it was the desolate playgrounds, houses and hotels that littered the streets.

When Toby didn't disembark onto their exit ramp for the highway, Spencer twisted her fingers together, "You missed the exit."

Toby simply bobbed his head up and down, "I know."

Wishing she hadn't watched so many episodes of _Snapped_ the night before, Spencer gulped, "Why did you intentionally skip our ticket out of this ghost town? Are you taking a short cut?"

"No."

"Okay...so where are we going?"

"Someplace."

"That's...Toby. Did I do something to aggravate you?"

"What you mean other than this afternoon? Of course not. Relax, okay? You'll like it."

"I'm already _not_ liking it."

Turning onto a gravel road, they both sprung in their seats a bit, rocks flinging around and hitting the front of the truck. Spencer oofed as he went over a large bump, and then around a dip, before he went completely off track and began gliding through a field of untamed grass. He cut the lights and chuckled, which only encouraged her to grow more weary. Her knuckles white from the vehemance in which she was clutching her seat belt, Spencer inhaled.

"Toby!"

Coming to a complete and unexpected stop, Toby held out his arm in front of Spencer to keep her from hitting the dashboard, apologizing. Flicking the lights back on, he turned to her and wrapped his arm around the back of her seat.

"Oh wow," Spencer breathed, her eyes feasting on the visual buffet before her.

It was some sort of abandoned canyon, complete with a private lake and an old house that had probably withstood The Civil War. The water gave off an intermittent glow romantically under the moonlight, and Toby cut the lights again, his eyes focused on watching her reaction.

"Told you," he croaked.

"How do you know about this place?"

"I come here after work when I need to take a breather. That's not the best part though," he leaned over and opened her door, pushing her out and following suit, "This is."

Guiding her to the bed of the truck, he lifted her up and then followed, laying out some blankets for them to cuddle on. Ardent in wanting her to join him, Toby tugged on her hand and lowered her down into his lap, enveloping her in a hug.

"It's quiet," Spencer remarked thoughtfully, looking around as her eyes began to adjust.

"Mm-hmm."

"And far out."

"It is pretty remote."

Spencer could see Toby biting his bottom lip from the corner of her eye and met his gaze, wetting her whistle.

"No one to interrupt us..." he breathed, leaning forward, his mouth slightly ajar.

"No one to interrupt us," Spencer mimicked, her breath catching in her throat.

The way Toby was gazing at her was so intense that her lungs failed to function properly, and she knew if she didn't take a breath soon she'd end up wheezing and completely devasting herself, and killing the mood in the end. It was amazing to her that after months of dating and thousands of kisses, Spencer's train of thought was often altered significantly to the point she made an utter fool of herself whenever Toby was this close to her. All he had to do was look at her like this or touch his lips to hers and she'd forget every stress in her life, just for a blissful moment.

Holding Toby's stare as long as she could manage, Spencer shifted positions, her legs on each side of his lap, their chests compacted snuggly. Invading his space - though she knew he'd welcome it- Spencer inclined her head down and then cocked it to the side and brought her hands up to craddle his cheeks tenderly. Tipping her head back up, she let her eyes move to his awaiting lips before slowly dragging them back up to those soulful baby blues.

"I like that," she said, her tone sultry.

Unable to take the electricity of it all, Toby was the first to eliminate any space between their lips, pressing his lips firmly against hers. What started out as brief, playful kisses blossomed into kisses of longer endurance, heavy with want. Toby was feeling extra bold tonight, and even though his shirt had yet to be eliminated from the picture, his hands did not hesitate to inch Spencer's up slowly and ease it over her head, smiling as she raised her arms up in permission. He wasted no time in returning his mouth to hers, careful not to restrict her too much as he lowered Spencer down, one of his arms around her waist, the other keeping him held up above her. It was times like these Spencer was thankful that she had once been a gymnast, or else she might have thrown out her back. Keeping her legs secured around his hips, Spencer pushed her palm against Toby's scalp, needing him to be closer. He responded to the gesture by sighing happily, his arm unraveling from her waist to walk up her ribcage and dig into her hair.

He gave it a sudden pull- enough to get her attention, but not enough to injure her- and grinned against her lips as she moaned softly and dragged her fingers down his neck to his spine. Guiding his shirt up as she scratched along his strong back, she declined her hands once they reached his shoulder blades, loving the feeling of his soft skin. Toby had enough at this point, and removed his shirt for her. When he heard her giggle he scolded her for teasing him and laughed. Sitting up, he sat back on his knees, blinking down at her, a mock pout on his face. His chest rising and falling under the moonlight, Spencer was practically salivating at the sight of him. It was a mystery to her why Toby didn't just find a talent scout and ditch his construction career for a modeling career. He was truly beautiful in every possible way and she honestly couldn't believe she owned his heart...not to mention his body.

If he was trying to pout and go on strike against her lips, it wasn't working. His exterior was as clear as the glass of his truck, and Spencer instantly missed the close contact of his skin against hers. As if he had read her mind, or surrendered, Toby lowered himself against her again, propping himself up on his elbows. Stroking her jaw with the back of his knuckles, he kissed her forehead, her nose, her eyelids, her chin, her neck, and then connected their eyes again. He was so gentle in his ways, yet he knew exactly how to swipe the sweet card for the spicy card, and Spencer was all but wilting away now. Bringing her hands up to his wrists, she lowered them down her stomach, biting her lip. She wasn't quite sure how he would react to her bold move, and she was mentally undergoing a panic attack.

When his fingers met the material of her jeans, Toby's eyes were as large as the moon above them. Still, he had no objections. He and Spencer had been working their way up to this point, and even though he was always such a gentleman to her, he was still a teenage boy. It was impossible to fight off what he was feeling now. Her shorts slid down with ease, and after a few more kisses, he kicked his own off. Spencer kissed him hungrily, her hands mounting into his shoulder blades, not able to pull him close enough. The sounds she was making, the eagerness in her kisses, the way she looked up at him through those thick lashes, Toby couldn't contain himself. His eyes were so clouded with lust at this point that he didn't even realize she was suddenly freed from every barrier underneath him. He felt her lips grow limp against his as his hand brushed against her thigh and he pulled back from her lips, gasping for air.

"What's wrong? Have I hurt you? Am I too heavy? Are you cold? Did your phone go off?"

His string of interrogations eased Spencer's guilt a bit, but she was still trembling under his weight, her hands pressing against his chest. Refusing to meet his eyes, knowing he'd be disapointed, Spencer licked her swollen lips. Toby wasn't making her nervous or uncomfortable or hurting her in any way, but her mind was racing.

"Toby, I...if we go any further, if you keep kissing me like this, and you keep touching me like..." she nodded down to his hand wedged between their bodies, "_that _then I won't be able to stop myself. We'll reach the point of no return and I'm afraid if...I'm afraid that...what I'm worried about is...what I'm trying to say is..."

"You don't trust me?" Toby asked, wishing she'd look at him instead of the tan line on his neck.

"No, no, no! It's not that, of course it's not that! It's just...well I'm...I'm still...I'm a-"

"You're not ready."

Spencer squeezed her eyes shut before forcing them to open again, "No. I mean, I thought I was. My body's ready but ..."

"You're not?"

"Emotionally, no. I don't want to have a million What If's running through my mind when it's supposed to be special-"

The look in Toby's eyes made her rertract her statement and she shook her head desperately, "No, no! I didn't mean it like that. I didn't mean that this isn't special, that being here with you isn't special, because it is I just meant..."

Toby sighed, "Spencer."

"I'm just going to stop t-"

"Spencer."

Spencer looked up at him as he tilted her chin upwards, "Huh?"

He smiled gently at his frenzied, tongue twisted girlfriend. She was always so collective in her wording that he knew she was having an internal battle with herself, and he had no idea why she looked so ashamed of herself for wanting to wait.

"Spence," he tried again softly, "If you're not ready, then neither am I. I'll wait. We'll wait. That's fine."

"When you say fine-"

"I mean," Toby smiled, giving her an Eskimo kiss, "It's more than fine. It's okay. I never want to make you feel like you need to drift out of your comfort zone for me. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable...you just look so beautiful and I'm not made of steel, you know. I can't resist you. I don't think I'll ever be able to resist you. But I can tell you that there is one thing I'll always be able to do."

"Hmm?"

"Respect you."

Spencer sighed, her lips turning downwards into a pout. She should have known he'd not only respect her decision but support it. She didn't know why she had been so nervous suddenly. "You're okay with this? With waiting? Are you sure? I know I'm uptight-"

"Hey. Your first time should be special, with someone special, and when you're ready. I would never dream of depriving you of that privelege. It shouldn't be in the back of a truck or when you're constantly on edge about whether you'll get caught. It should be magical and soft and slow and beautiful. Like you."

Spencer couldn't help but be in awe over his sincerity. As he sat up, she grabbed onto his arm, leaning her chest against his back, wrapping her arms around his waist. Leaving a lingering kiss on the freckle on his upper right side of his back, she nuzzled up against him, "You think I'm slow?" she joked.

Toby shook his head, turning his head so he could gaze at her. Once again treating her to a kiss on the forehead, he turned back to look up at the moon, "I think you're magical. And soft. And I think you're so incredibly beautiful."

Letting her eyes shut as she hummed against his warm skin, Spencer felt her eyes fill with tears. She knew that Jenna had taken Toby's innocence and there had been nothing magical or romantic or loving or beautiful about it. She hated Jenna for it, and she felt a twinge of jealous surge through her bones at the thought of someone else robbing Toby of something that would be just as magical for him as it would be for her...because Spencer was positive that when the moment was right, she and Toby would consumate their relationship. She knew that just for the reason he his first time was taken away from him, that he would go above and beyond to make certain Spencer's was everything she ever dreamed of.

"I love you," Spencer sniffled.

"I love you, too. So much."

"Hey," Spencer scooted backwards, wrapping on of the blankets modestly around her bare torso, laying back and holding up the blanket enough for him to join her, "Come here."

She paused, "That is of course, if you still want to hold me after I exertiminated your-"

Toby cut her off, crawling to her side. Tucking himself under her arm, he drew her against his chest, stroking her hair, "I'll always want to hold you."

"I was hoping you'd say that," leveraging herself up so that her chin was against the back of her hands, she looked up at him, waiting until their eyes met, "Toby, I want you to be my first. And then I want you to be my last...my last everything."

His heart was sky rocketing from his chest cavity now, and Toby's saddened, reflective expression was replaced by a joyous one, his eyes sparkling as he brought Spencer closer up on his chest, pulling her flush against him. Covering them back up with the blanket, he rubbed her back, pecking her lips.

"Now I'm going to hold you forever."

"Promise?" Spencer murmured, letting her eyes shut once more as she savoured the feeling of Toby's heart against hers.

A shooting star whisked by overhead, causing Toby's smile to grow in width, his eyes wrinkling. He started to make a wish, but didn't complete his request to the heavens, knowing that there could be nothing better than this moment, holding her so closely to his heart.

"Cross my heart."


	11. SOS Please?

**Alright, ladies and gents! This chapter is insanely long, so I chopped it in half. I hope you enjoy it! Please keep those reviews coming. I appreciate them. I love all the suggestions, however, please keep in mind that I am trying to stay as close to the story line in season three as possible. Toby and Spencer are waiting, and I know this seems to have angered some of you last chapter, and that was not my intention. However, I am sticking with this story line. This means your requested prompts with a pregnancy scare will not be written (this doesn't mean I will NEVER write something like that- just not in this particular series). I'm trying to keep this as realistic as possible and I appreciate your help, support, and cooperation. :) Thanks guys! You're all amazing! How much do we love Angry!Toby, by the way? Do you think he'll find the answers he is looking for?  
**

**_S.O.S Please_  
**

"I can't believe the most responsible parents I know are entrusting the care of their child in me," Spencer exclaimed, balancing the phone between her chin and shoulder as she poured the curly-haired Kindergartener at her counter a cup of ginger ale, "He'd be better off with wolves."

"Crazy," Toby agreed on the other line. Her _S.O.S Please_ text to him had him already searching for his shoes, but he was relieved when she informed him she was _only_ babysitting - not being murdered.

"No, Toby," Spencer tightened the lid on the cup and slid it across the island to Tyler. "It's frightening, that's what it is. I could think of a million other synonyms to describe their spur of the moment springing a child on me, the defenseless, unprepared teenager next door. I'm here fending for my life, Toby. Is there any chance you can come over? Please? I promise I will pay you with a token of my appreciation of your choice later. Please? Please? Please?"

Tyler took a gulp of the Ginger Ale and sprayed it all over, knocking the cup over in disgust, "Da hell is this, lady? I've drinked toilet water better than this crap!"

"Did you hear that? He's cursing at me! A five-year old is cursing at me! You're my only lifeline and I'm about one SippyCup trial and error past desperate for some help. You wouldn't happen to know anything about kids? Wait, of course you do. You're a natural at everything. You were probably Nanny McPhee in another life."

"Alright, alright. I'm on my way now. I'll pick up some ice-cream on my way."

"How did you know I'd been craving ice-cream all day? See? You're naturally attentive to the needs of others, which makes you highly qualified for this job. You're perfect."

Toby chuckled, "Spencer, I meant I'd pick some up for the little guy."

"What? Why? You think rewarding his misbehavior with ice-cream is a good idea? Not that I know anything about children, but I don't see how that'd make anything better."

"We're giving him an incentive _to_ behave. It's called a bribe. Besides, what kid doesn't like ice-cream? You just hang tight and I'll be there as soon as I can. Love you."

"How soon can you be here?" Spencer whined, dodging the raisins that came barreling at her face. Hiding behind the counter, she lowered her voice into a whisper, "Because I might not make it. Things are bad out here in the field. It's come down to me hiding in the barracks and he's got all the ammunition. The closest thing I have to a white flag is," Spencer looked around, "My pants. And those are not coming off."

Toby laughed again over the speaker, "The sooner you hang up with me, the sooner I'll be there. Just find some allies to entertain him."

"What do you suggest?"

"Toys, Spencer. Get the kid some toys. I've got to go, I'm at the drive-thru."

" Isn't the operator supposed to remain on the line with the helpless citizen? Pffht. I'll see you soon. Really, really, really soon, right? Because-" Spencer heard the familiar click that indicated Toby was no longer on the line, "Toby? Toby? Okay! I can do this. I can do this!"

Realizing how quiet the house had grown, Spencer's ears practically turned up like a hound. Her eyes shifting back and forth frantically, she placed the phone down on the floor and turned around, slowly pushing herself up to peek over the counter. Just her forehead and eyes in view, Tyler was no longer sitting at the counter. Panicking, she spurted up, breaking out into a steady jog around the first floor of her house, calling out Tyler's name.

"I can't do this, I cannot do this!"

Finding him in her father's office, she scooped him up, kicking and screaming. Locking the double doors behind her, she glared at Tyler, "We don't go in there! That area is off-limits to your shenanigans. Now, I'm going to get you some toys."

Pulling out a baby pink box that was in the accompaniment of dust bunnies, Spencer ossed the lid back. Fishing for the first object, she pulled out a _Barbie_ dressed in an extravagant business suit.

"Here! Play with these dolls. I used to entertain myself for hours mapping out their agendas and coordinating their outfits. Knock yourself out, kid."

Tyler grimaced, "I'm a boy!"

"Yeah and this is the 21st century. The women play with trucks and seek out successful careers while the men stay at home to look after Johnny and Sally and play with tea cups."

Examining the unclothed doll he pulled out of the box, Tyler smirked, "I can see her boobies!"

Spencer palmed her forehead, stuffing the doll into the box, tucking it back away under the bed in the guest bedroom. Turning to Tyler she exhaled, "And we're done! That attempt to culture your dramatic play skills failed miserably. What do you usually play at home?"

Tyler folded his arms, "I know a game."

* * *

"I'm telling you, Toby! That little gremlin locked me in the bathroom. Please tell me you're almost here?"

Picking at the lock with the bobby pin she had stolen from the cabinet, Spencer hissed. Tyler had introduced her to a game of tag, but his version of tag was entirely different from the traditional version she grew up playing. This one involved her getting locked up in the bathroom while he ran freely around the house. She could hear cupboards opening, his feet pounding across the floor boards. His manic laughter was echoing through the vaulted ceilings.

"Do you have a screwdriver?" Toby asked.

"Oh, yeah, because you know, everyone keeps a screwdriver handy in their bathroom! Where are you?"

Coming through the side entrance of the Hastings' manor, Toby juggled his phone and a tray of ice-cream, "I'm here!"

Spencer wiggled the doorknob, growling. She kicked the door open, "Go figure you arrive just as I master my lock-picking skills. Do you see the little demon?"

Toby surveyed the room, frowning, crossing the living room to set down the ice-cream on the counter top, "No, the coast seems cle-"

Just then, a screaming Tyler came running, and Toby heard Spencer shout that she had him now. What happened next was a blur. One minute the ice-cream was secure in Toby's palm, the next Tyler was smacking into him, causing Toby to lose his balance, and then the ice-cream was flying across the room. The sundae Toby had ordered for Spencer with no nuts and extra caramel sauce was now all over Spencer's white pants. She shrieked upon contact.

"Oops!"

* * *

_**See part 2. :)  
**_


	12. Part 2

**_Part 2: The Day The Spencer-Grinch's Heart Grew 10 Sizes _**

Dunking her pants into the kitchen sink, Spencer furrowed her brow, "Looks like you managed to get me out my pants after all. This better come out or there will be severe consequences. _Severe_!"

Toby winced, wrapping his arms around Spencer from behind, taking a quick peek at Tyler who was perfectly content slurping up his ice-cream from his bowl in the dining room. He felt terrible that Spencer had ruined a pair of her favorite pants, but he had to admit seeing her around a child was mildly entertaining.

"You look better without them anyways," Toby said quietly, his lips against her ear.

Spencer wiggled in his arms, trying to scrub at the chocolate syrup marks on her pants before dipping the them into the water. She was clad in a pair of shorts now, but she was still caught up over her pants in the sink. Feeling Toby's lips against her neck, her eyes fluttered shut and her harsh scrubbing grew lazy until she finally let the pants sink.

"I'm sorry about your outfit. Is there anything I can do to make it better?"

"Well-" Spencer started shakily, "That, um, that helps."

When she felt his lips turn upwards into a grin, Spencer faced her knight in shining plaid, "So would some retail therapy. And some boyfriend therapy."

He giggled, pressing his lips against hers as her arms wound around his neck, "You'll have to go to Hanna for the first one. But the second one..."

Completely forgetting the boy sitting in her dining room, who was now crawling across the table on all fours, Spencer continued kissing Toby. When they heard what resembled glass breaking and then Tyler confirming that something had shattered with an "Uh-oh!", Spencer and Toby broke apart.

"Is the universe trying to jeopardize my sanity today?"

Rushing into the dining room, she covered her mouth, her eyes squinting, " Oh, my God! That's my Nana's urn!"

"Her what?" Toby asked, following her into the room and assessing the situation. There were slices of hand painted porcelain all over the floor. Tyler was looking up at them with wide eyes.

Spencer began flailing her arms about wildly, pulling at her roots, "My Nana's ashes!"

"Oh," Toby gasped, "Okay. We'll fix this. I'll fix this."

"Tyler!" Spencer screeched, "What are you doing? Look what you did! I'm going to call your parents and give them an earful! This wasn't what I bargained for when I was volunteered as tribute for a few hours! Get down and get out of my sight before I strangle you!"

Toby seemed appalled by her outburst and tssked at her, nodding at Tyler, who was now whimpering, his eyes welling up with moisture, "Spencer!"

"He needs to know what he did was wrong! He needs to be held accountable for his actions and I don't thin-"

"There are better ways to handle these things," Toby turned to Tyler, placing his hands on the boy's forearms, "Are you hurt? Did you get cut?"

Tyler shook his head no, but continued sobbing.

"Okay, easy there buddy. It's okay," Toby soothed, picking the boy up and carrying him over to Spencer, his hand rubbing circles on Tyler's t-shirt.

"No!" Spencer responded, baffled by Toby's calmness, "It's not okay! Do you know how much bad juju we just released by breaking that thing? Not to mention the cost. My mother is going to have my head on a Guillotine!"

"Spencer!" Toby growled, holding out Tyler to her, "That's enough. First we need to get this taken care of. Here. Take Tyler."

"What? No, no. I'm not taking him."

"Spencer, there are shards all over, he could cut himself. We need to keep him as far away from this mess as possible so I can get it cleaned up."

"Oh, I'll keep him away, alright. Outside on the porch with a _For Sale_ sign."

Toby's stern look made Spencer sink on her heels, and she gritted her teeth together, taking Tyler into her arms, but holding him out at a safe distance, still livid.

"Thank you. I promise you, when I'm done with this, I will make sure it looks good as new. Do you have anything you can put her ashes in for now? A ziplock baggy? A box?"

"You're going to put the remains of my Grandmother into a plastic bag?"

"Only until I get this picked up. But until I do that, you're going to have to entertain Tyler. Turn on some cartoons, all kids like cartoons. Read him a book, something."

"Fine," Spencer sulked, "Let's go read a book Tyler."

_Some time later. _

Situating the urn, now super-glued back together, Toby sighed in relief. He dusted off his jeans and made his way into the living room, where Spencer was reading to Tyler. Frowning in disapproval at Spencer's choice in literature, and Tyler's shocked expression, Toby tugged the novel from Spencer, tossing it towards the unoccupied corner of the couch.

Sitting down between the two, he had a nice talk with Tyler about the do's and don'ts of the Hastings house, and explained that Tyler crawling on furniture and breaking things was no acceptable. He was calm but firm, and Spencer was impressed. She wouldn't have let Tyler off that easily, but Toby kept reminding her that Tyler was only five years old. Once their discussion wrapped up, Toby decided it might be a good idea to go outside for a bit, rationalizing that Tyler couldn't do much damage in the yard. Settling for this proposal, Spencer found herself in her back yard with Toby and Tyler, watching as Toby and Tyler tossed around a football she had found in her shed. Toby was giving Tyler pointers, though she was certain Toby had never played football in his life. Lounging in the lawn chair she had sat in, Spencer whimpered when Tyler informed Toby he was bored and asked to play something new.

"But you were just laughing! You were having fun, I saw you having fun!" Spencer protested.

"He's five, Spencer. Five year olds jump from activity to activity. It's just what they do. Okay, Ty,"

Spencer rolled her eyes. Toby and Tyler were already on a nick name status. They were so chummy that Spencer wondered why she was even out here with them when she could be inside working on some homework instead or obsessively cleaning her already spotless room.

Toby picked Tyler up like a sack of potatoes, dangling the boy so he was hanging upside down, "What do you want to play now, buddy?"

Tyler giggled, "Can we play hide and go seek, Toby? Please?"

Spencer scoffed. Of course Tyler would morph into a polite, meek child now that Toby had taken over. She had to admit though, seeing Toby with Tyler was adorable. Toby, of course, was a natural with children, and she felt this yank in her stomach at the thought of him playing games with their future children- if they would have any. The thought of him fathering her children, the thought of her even wanting children after her ordeal earlier, Spencer coughed. It was scary just how much she wanted this now. She never pegged herself for venturing outside her scholarly ambitions. She always thought she'd be an independent business woman, maybe a doctor, not a wife and a mother. Toby made her want those things. He made her want those things desperately, and it scared her.

"Spence, you up for playing?"

"Yeah!" Tyler cheered, "Spencer, you wanna play, too?"

"Fine."

"Yay!" Tyler clapped, "One, two, three, not it!"

"Not it!" Toby echoed, raising a hand. Both boys looked to Spencer, who was as clueless as ever.

"What?" Spencer asked, "Oh...that is so not fair! Injustice! Why do I have to be the one to count?"

"Because you're the slowest," Toby teased, "Alright, Tyler, come on, I'll show you all the good hiding spots! Count to thirty, babe!"

Watching as the boys ran off, Spencer covered her eyes with her palms, counting slowly at first and then mashing together the last fifteen numbers and looking around, "Ready or not, here I come!''

She found Toby first. He was up in a tree. He had thrown an apple at her and hit her square in the back, which resulted in his defeat and discovery of his secret spot. As he landed on the ground next to her, Spencer squinted at him, poking at his chest with her finger.

"I thought you claimed you knew all the good spots. How come you made it so easy for me to find you?"

Toby took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, "Because I know that no matter what, we'll always find our way back to each other."

"You do know how cheesy that sounded, right?" Spencer giggled, kissing his cheek.

"What can I say? I'm a fool for love. Alright, let's find Tyler." Toby raised his voice dramatically, obviously in a playful tone, "Whatever you do, don't look over by the hot tub. He's not over there!I think I saw him run that way!" he pointed towards the porch.

"No, he didn't," Catching a glimpse of Tyler's, Spencer snorted, walking quickly over to the boy and yanking on his shirt, "He's right here. Found him."

Toby groaned, cupping his mouth, "You're supposed to humor him and play along. I think you've missed the point."

"No," Spencer explained, "You missed the point! He hid. You hid. I found him. I found you. Now you're it."

"You're supposed to play it out a bit. Kids like that. You're not supposed to find him right away, even if you see him."

"That's stupid."

"Spencer, watch your language."

"I wasn't swearing! And even if I had been, so what? He'd be immune to it! He was cursing up a storm when I gave him Ginger Ale earlier!"

"You gave a five-year old Ginger Ale and expected him to thank you? Five year olds don't want that kind of crap. They want chocolate milk or apple juice."

Tyler pouted, "She ruined the game! She's mean!"

Toby took Tyler's hand, "Come on, buddy, let's go pack up your stuff. Your parents should be here any minute now. We'll leave the Grinch who stole Christmas back here in time-out."

Spencer threw out her arms, shocked. "How was I being the bully?"

Finally, it was time for Tyler to get picked up. After getting his stuff together and convincing Spencer to play a game of _Trouble_ with he and Tyler, Toby began walking Tyler out to the driveway.

"Wait!" Tyler cried, galloping back to Spencer on the porch. He flung his arms around her knees and hugged her tightly, closing his eyes.

Spencer looked down at the boy, taken aback. Awkwardly patting his back, she smiled down at him and opted for an actual hug instead. Giving him a quick peck on the cheek, she waved. Some say that the Spencer-Grinch's heart grew ten sizes that hug. "Bye, Tyler."

"Bye, Spencer! I hope you babysit me again!"

"Stay out of trouble!" she projected, before mumbling, "That's not likely."

Getting Tyler settled in the backseat of his parent's Sudan, Toby stood in front of Spencer, two steps below her on the deck. Wrapping his arms around her legs, he lifted her up, kissing her nose, "There may be hope for you yet, babysitter."

"Oh, excuse me," Spencer giggled, ruffling his hair, "He was a vicious little beast. He would have been chasing me around the house with scissors and a chainsaw if you hadn't come over when you did."

"Oh, yes. I barely made it out with my life."

"Shut up!"

Laughing as Toby twirled them, Spencer smiled, kissing his forehead, "I'm sorry I'm not very child friendly. Can you retire the term Spencer-Grinch now? It's not very nice."

Toby smiled back, lowering her onto the porch and taking her hand, leading them back inside, "Don't worry. By the time we have kids, you'll be Cindy-Lou-Who."

* * *

**Still to come:**

**-Spencer staying at Toby's loft  
**

**-Some Spoby pool time with friends  
**

**And your other requests as they come in and are suitable for the story lines. :)  
**


	13. RockaBye Spencer

**_Rock-A-Bye Spencer_**

A blaze of lightening illuminated Toby's loft and Spencer shivered, sweeping her hands up and down her arms in an attempt to warm her skin. She had only been outside for three whole minutes after Toby had picked her up from her house, but she was still chilled to the bone. A storm had been brewing all night, and when it had touched down in Rosewood Spencer was spooked. Toby - her knight in shining armor (or today, her Knight in Shining Plaid) had ridden over on his trusty steed- his truck.

"Careful, it's hot." Toby smiled, handing her a warm mug of Hot Cocoa.

She took it ardently, letting her palms envelope the mug, transferring as much of its warmth onto her skin as she could. It had to be the coldest night of the summer yet- and she didn't like it one bit. Suddenly those afternoons of needing a shower after going outside to get the mail and her hair resembling a Brillo Pad seemed like a happy medium. At least during hot, humid summer days she could prevent herself from overheating by taking a dip in the family pool. During storms like this there wasn't much to do and she hated being cooped up. Sure, she and Toby had engaged in a game of Scrabble already, and he had even made her dinner, but now Spencer was drumming her fingers against her coffee mug, wishing she had some sort of magic eraser to eliminate the downpour and lasso the sun back down so they could go outside instead. But then as Toby slid onto his bed, his arms branching around her waist, his nose nuzzled on her shoulder, Spencer decided that there was no place she'd rather be.

Singing a thank you, Spencer's eyes drifted from the rings Toby created in the mug as he settled in behind her. They browsed Toby's laundry accumulation scattered about his hardwood floor. Her cinnamon eyes investigated the crevices in the walls, to the water stains on the ceiling, roaming until they reached the beautifully carved rocking chair perched in the corner. Fondly recalling the day they lay intertwined near the fire and he promised he'd find a way for them to be together, her lips vibrated, casting out a purr.

_Will you make me something?_

_I already have.  
_

She wondered, as she appreciatively memorized each and every curve, each fine detail- how long he had slaved away on this chair - the one he had presented for her after she was let out of jail. The one she initially declined but had secretly longed for ever since. When her cup started to tilt, Toby reached around to hold it upright, his palm over her knuckles.

Fishing a miniature marshmallow from the bag by his side, Toby held it up by her nose, "A marshmallow for your thoughts, pretty lady?"

Spencer's tongue extended and accepted his bribe, reclining so that she was pressed against him completely now. Brushing her cheek against his, she kicked up a toe.

"Did you know that the earliest entry of rocking chair didn't appear until 1787 in the _Oxford English Dictionary_? I mean, it originated in the 15th century, but no one thought to apply it to adult-sized furniture until a little before the eighteenth century. It makes you wonder...what was going through their minds when they created this contraption?"

Slanting her head to clear her line of vision so that she could look into Toby's eyes, Spencer blinked, "What were you thinking when you made that for me?"

Toby began speaking, but avoided her eyes; his now glued to the very same object hers had been moments before, "The rocking motion? Have you ever paid special attention the arch on the bottom? It's shaped like a crescent: a half moon. There's some undercover symbolism there. The half moon suggests rebirth,; the start of something new. When I made that chair for you..."

He drifted off, his eyes flickering as they switched from a deep azure to a light teal, "My mother used to rock me to sleep in a chair like that. It could be Hurricane weather outside, my dad could be boozing up, and yet, nothing could touch me. As long as I was in that chair with her, I was fine. I was safe. I felt at home. When I lost her-"

He cleared his throat, shaking his head in disbelief. Spencer waited patiently for him to continue, not wanting to push him when he chose not to continue. When she saw his eyes revert back to their original shade, she bit her lip, eying him warily.

"Toby."

"I saw it in a dream, that chair. They say that when you dream of a vacant rocking chair, it means estrangement, it means pain. It forebodes you're about to suffer misfortune. For years I saw this chair, and for years my nightmare was not being able to build it, not being able to picture anyone in it. There were pieces of the chair missing. There was no arch. The chair was stiff, unused. Draped. Gradually this nightmare morphed into the sweetest dream I have ever had because as you and I got closer, the chair began to transform. Suddenly there was an arch. Suddenly it moved. That night when you ran to me at the Founder's Day Festival? I had the dream again. This time the chair wasn't empty. There was someone rocking in it. They say that seeing someone in your dreams that you love nestled in a rocking chair symbolizes contentment. It's ominous of the sweetest joys one could ever hold. It symbolizes a home. Safety."

His eyes flashed again and his voice cracked, "Love."

Spencer swallowed. "Did you see your mother?"

"No," Toby whispered, his eyes at last colliding with Spencer's, "I saw_ you_."

While Toby's cheeks warmed, so did Spencer's irregularly beating heart. Twisting herself so that she could easily set his mug down on his nightstand, she threw herself into his arms, her fingers digging so deep into his shoulder blades that he hissed. Her arms around his neck, her hand coming up to stroke the back of his head, Spencer couldn't seem to get close enough to him to express just how much she adored him.

"I love you," she settled on instead, pressing a light kiss against his neck.

"I wanted you to have something tangible to hold on to, to sink back into when you needed to feel at home; when you needed to feel safe."

They embraced for the longest time. When the lights flickered again briefly before going out completely, Spencer whimpered, objecting with her hand around Toby's wrist as he moved to light some candles. He kept ahold of her hand, but continued rummaging his drawers for matches. Locating some, the room was soon illuminated with the light aroma of various scented candles Toby had collected over the years.

"You're not afraid of a little thunderstorm, are you?" Toby teased, swapping his current t-shirt for a wife beater.

Occupying her hands with the threads at the end of the tank top she had worn over, Spencer shivered. She was elated when Toby offered her one of his over-sized sweaters, inhaling the combination of his laundry detergent, old wood, and his aftershave. Untucking her hair from under the gray material, she looked bashfully up at him.

"No, I'm not afraid of a little storm!"

The thunder that boomed outside his window proved otherwise, and she found herself pressed against him, trembling. His fingers threading through her hair, Toby chuckled.

"I'm afraid of a _huge_ storm capable of stripping your windows and throwing my car around like a tumbleweed."

"Well, last I checked, we were under a severe thunderstorm warning. Guess we'll just have to stay clear of the windows. If we hear any sirens go off, you and I are bunking with the coffee beans downstairs. The perks of living above a Cafe? We'd be in the food closet and would never go hungry. We could just live off of coffee and crackers."

This only made Spencer cling to him more. Not that Toby minded, of course. When Spencer didn't answer him, Toby gripped her elbows, forcing her to look at him.

"Hey, maybe you didn't hear me. Endless supply of coffee? You'd be in heaven. And I'd have you, which means I'd be in heaven, too."

"Do-d-d-do you think," Spencer started, her teeth clanking together like gongs, "W-w-we c-could s-sit in the c-chair? Until the s-storm p-p-passes?"

"Spencer, that storm advisory is in effect until two this morning. We'd be sitting in it for an awfully long ti-"

He cut off when he saw timidity in her eyes, his thumbs brushing across her bottom lip, "Of course we can."

Snatching a blanket from his bed, Toby wrapped it around Spencer, rolling her up like a burrito until she was snug and could barely move. Hoisting her into his arms, he back tracked to the rocking chair, carefully positioning his rear before relaxing, his body molding into the wood. It was funny, really: he had designed the chair for Spencer, and yet, it fit with his body perfectly. Every bone was aligned like a second skin as he held her to his chest like a child.

Curling her legs up on Toby's lap, Spencer tucked her head under Toby's chin. She could hear the light thumping of his heart and smiled, one of her hands crawling out of the blanket to tap the pattern out on his chest.

"You know," Toby tickled the back of her neck, "This **is** _your_ chair. You could come over and rock in it, or read in it, or knit in it because you're practicing celibacy like Meredith did on that one doctor show you just started watching-"

"_Grey's Anatomy_."

"The one with the doctors and all the hair. Or if you'd like, you can take it back to your house. I'll even deliver and install it for you, free of charge. Either way, I made it for you, and I want you to use it. Unless of course you don't want i-"

"I want it!" Spencer shrieked, before lowering her voice, "I'll take it."

"How soon would you like it?"

"How soon can you deliver, carpenter? I know you're very busy, what between taking in strays and designing storm shelters with coffee beans and blankets. You seem very high in demand lately."

"Oh, I am. I suppose I could squeeze you in tomorrow...would around noon be alright? See, I'd deliver it earlier but there's this stray staying in my home right now and I wanted to surprise her with breakfast in bed and if all goes as I'm anticipating, she's going to sleep in late and we're going to need a few hours to rid her of her morning bitterness." Toby whispered as if there were other people around to eavesdrop, "She's not exactly a morning person. We have to load her up with caffeine to get her to behave semi-civilly."

Spencer swatted at his chest, giggling, "Watch it or she'll kick up her case of the morning grumps a notch and refuse to get out of bed. She'll just stay under your pillows all day."

"Hmm, my girlfriend in my bed? Wearing my clothes? Protesting? Damn! What punishment!"

Raking his fingers through her hair, his hand descended down to her chin, lifting it, "I'll bring it along when I take you home tomorrow. Are there any other services you request from me?"

His lips seemed more entrancing than usual, and Spencer just couldn't seem to focus on anything but, willing herself closer to close the gap between them. Pulling back after pecking his lips a little too quickly, she smirked, "Well, as long as you're not charging me a delivery and installation fee, I may as well use my extra allowances to request one additional service. You know, my floor is angled a bit differently than yours, and I may need you to just sit in the chair and test out its stability. With me. In your lap. Like this. Oh, but then I'd need to know if it is sleep resistant and study friendly. Damn. You might have to stay all day. You don't happen to have any specials running currently, do you? Take one rocking chair, take one boyfriend free? Half off?"

Toby tickled her shoulders, kissing her nose, "Mmm. Since you're a loyal customer, I suppose I could throw in a few discounts. How will you be paying me?"

"With cuddles. And grilled cheese sandwiches. And a car wash-"

"A car wash? Really?"

"Mm-hm. I'll toss in some kisses, too. Do you accept those forms of payment?"

"We accept all forms of payment, and those will certainly do." Toby agreed playfully.

Reaching for the hand closest to her, Spencer linked hers in his, shaking them, "Pleasure doing business with you. I'd recommend you to my friends but I'm a bit selfish when it comes to the services you offer. You're the best in town and I just want you all to myself."

Toby laughed, his forehead against hers. With Spencer batting her eyes at him, her eyes moving back and forth like a ball on a trampoline between his eyes and his mouth, he leaned in slowly. Their lips met softly, but their kiss was passionate and loving. The lingering kiss Toby planted on her forehead when they pulled back brought the butterflies out from the pit of her stomach and she couldn't help but beam like a fool.

"Can we do this every night?" Spencer mumbled a few minutes later, when the wind began to howl, rattling Toby's windows.

"Spencer," Toby said in his loving tone, "If you let me? I'll hold you every night, for the rest of my life."

Spencer could feel the light drizzle seeping between the crook of her neck and dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of Toby's sweater. His lips removed the rest of her tears as Spencer freed her other arm from the blanket and cupped his face.

"And what if I wouldn't let you hold me?"

"If I can't hold you in my arms, then I'll still hold you in my heart."

Pushing her lips against his once more, Spencer honestly couldn't believe her luck. Toby may have thought that the best gift he'd given her was that chair, but truthfully? It was his_ love_.

_**Whoa! Thanks for the wonderful reviews, folks! They're a joy to read- and the new ideas are more than helpful. I hope to reach all your requests- I'm still sifting through them! Stay tuned and don't touch that dial. My sincerest gratitude for your dedication, prompts, and feedback. **_**_  
_**

_**Eleven reviews and I'll update tomorrow night. Deal or no deal?  
**_


	14. Barbeque Bonanza

**_Barbeque Bonanza_**

**_Whoa! I got well over the 11 reviews I was hoping for! Thanks so much ladies and gentlemen! Before I give you this chapter, I want to again remind you: This series takes place over the six months between the end of season two and the beginning of season three. I also want to point out that while Aria had a pregnancy scare in an earlier chapter, Spencer did inform the audience that it was simply a scare- so the prompt asking me to explore Aria being pregnant in this series will not be followed up on. :) I'm not fully satisfied with this chapter as it's been a LONG day, I'm drained, and I haven't had a chance to fully proof this installment I apologize for any errors I may not have caught. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy it. If you follow my other series, AATWBT, look for an installment within the next 24 hours. Many thanks!  
_**

It was a mild summer afternoon in Rosewood, Pennsylvania filled with the sound of water splashing and fresh meat hissing on the deluxe grill in the Hastings' backyard. The aroma of meat and vegetables on the grill wafted through the neighborhood, though it seemed like today everyone in Rosewood was hosting some sort of Barbeque bonanza. It seemed like the heat wave had finally simpered down to a tolerable temperature; one that was enjoyable for recreational activities. Rosewood was due for some record breaking days the following week, so every resident was out basking in the light breeze while they still could, before they'd end up kicked up in their Lazy Boys eating potato chips with the air conditioners on full blast.

On this particular day, Spencer's parents were visiting her Aunt Annie and wouldn't be back until some insane hour in the morning. It was her parents' suggestion, actually, to invite her friends over and indulge in regular teenager festivities. Spencer had been so preoccupied with her studies, because let's face it, this was Spencer The-Overachiever-Hastings, that she hadn't been spending as much time as she'd like to with her friends. Her parents' sending out an open invitation for a small get together removed her from her study-tunnel vision and she was glad to finally be able to let loose for a while.

Toby had already been over all morning to keep her company, and he was more than happy to assist Spencer is organizing snacks and tidying up the pool area prior to Hanna, Aria and Caleb arriving. Emily was away for the remaining weeks of summer doing some charity projects- her escape form the harsh realities of being single after Maya's untimely passing and the feeling of being treated like a porcelain doll by all those around her. Aria was over in less than five minutes of receiving her invitation, and Hanna and Caleb arrived about an hour later, their public displays of affection definitely on an entirely new level. Spencer immediately informed Toby that though they were pretty low key affection wise in public, the last thing she wanted to do was make Aria feel like a fifth wheel. So, since Aria had arrived, they had been joined at the hip - not that Spencer minded, really.

Spencer felt a bit guilty that Toby was stuck by the grill, while she was in the pool playing games with her friends, but she had to admit that she had taken full advantage of the opportunity to use him as her personal pool boy before everyone had come over. Seeing him strip down to his swim shorts and then pull back the pool cover, his chiseled shoulder blades arching perfectly under the sun; the way his ribs were set out in ripples where his abs met his sides as he raked the pool clean of leaves. Her tongue running slowly over her lips, Spencer eyed Toby. Even though the weather was manageable, the intensity of the heat being carried off by the grill was probably less than pleasant because Toby was sweating. Watching shamelessly as he poured a bottle of purified water over his head and chest to cool down, Spencer smiled dreamily. The volleyball rear ending her skull rattled her daydream and she snapped at the person behind the attack- Hanna.

"Hanna, what the hell?"

"Sorry, I couldn't tell if that was drool or pool water around your chin and you were venturing dangerously close to throwing yourself in the path of your pool vacuum. You do remember when Melissa caught her hair caught in it last year, right? That thing shows no mercy."

Spencer glared at her, praying Toby didn't see the obvious flush in her cheeks over the fact that her friends had caught her openly checking him out. Throwing a look over her shoulder to Aria for backup, Spencer snorted.

Aria raised both hands, her palms up, "Hey, in all fairness, she did shout heads up first."

"It's not like I dented your do," Hanna pressed her hand to her forehead, clipping back some stray gold locks to her newly cut hair, "It looks like you just woke up anyways."

"Alright, I'm getting you back for that." Spencer decided, "And I'll have you know? My hair was unruly because I was up all night."

Aria giggled, "Oh, really? Doing what?" she nodded towards the grill, "Or should I say...who?"

"Oh you know, just the milkman..." Spencer retorted sarcastically, "Between trying to squeeze in ten chapters for my Human Studies class and playing therapist with Emily on Skype, I think I got a minimum of two hours of sleep. Personal grooming falls as a back burner when I've got deadlines and hysterical best friends on my ass."

"You heard from Em? How is she?" Hanna lit up, her eyes hopeful.

"Maybe you've got fluid building up in your eardrums or maybe you've got selective hearing; she's mourning, Han. And not in the healthiest way possible. It's hard to reach out to someone when they don't want to be reached."

"Yeah, or when they're thousands and thousands of miles away," Aria added sadly, "But at least she's doing something productive, right? Something meaningful."

Spencer flicked a bug off of her shoulder, dipping the ends of her hair into the water as she went deeper into the pool, "I know she means well, but she can build all the houses in the world and she still won't have built up her sense of security. Most people look to hot chocolate or tea to help them fall asleep at night. That girl falls asleep with a flask."

Hanna had heard enough, pushing her hand up into the air as if she was preaching to an audience. "Chicken fight!"

"What?" Spencer growled, "Hanna, we're sort of in the middle of a serious-"

Hanna turned to Caleb, winking, "What do you say? You and me against the wesbian wovers?"

Caleb sneered, folding his arms, "I'm in."

"Bring it, blondie. You're going down." Spencer chuckled, "Come on, short stuff. Hop on up the Spencer express."

Aria shook her head, "Uh, Spence? You've played sports your entire life. The closest I've gotten is interpretive dancing. I think you should be the attacker. I'll be the vehicle."

"Aria, there aren't any decent chiropractors in Rosewood."

"Well, I won't be needing on. Hop on, bony ass."

Caleb whistled, "Let's see what you've got, Hastings. Aim for her chest, Han."

Somehow, Aria managed to convince Spencer to take on the role of the aggressive attacker, though the little one was chin deep in the water. Spence kept insisting that they switch roles, but Aria was just as stubborn as she was, and Hanna and Caleb kept making snarky comments so they went with it. Their friendly game of chicken turned competitive and cutthroat quickly, and Toby was biting his nails from the sidelines as Hanna took a jab at Spencer and nearly sent her falling backwards. Spencer retaliated, aiming for Hanna's stomach, which she knew was ticklish. She almost had Hanna too, but her legs were locked securely around a very sturdy Caleb. With both Caleb and Aria throwing in game plans, Hanna and Spencer battled it out, both taking their turns teetering and cursing.

Spencer had just knocked Hanna down, requiring Hanna and Caleb to develop a new strategy as Hanna found her spot on his shoulders again, dripping with defeat. Spencer was momentarily distracted by Toby as he flipped the burgers over the grill, his swim trunks still riding dangerously low from when he had jumped in for a second to lower his body temperature. Her eyes were doing everything she wished her hands could be doing right at that moment, and she was so caught up in drooling over his model-worthy body that she didn't even hear Aria's warnings. Suddenly she was cast into the water backwards.

When she came up for air, Aria was pouting, Hanna and Caleb were hugging and laughing in triumph, and Toby was now looking in her direction. Pushing her hair back with both palms, Spencer gave Hanna a menacing "this isn't over" look. Knowing fully well that she had Toby's full attention now, Spencer decided to play it up. It was, after all, his fault that she had been distracted and dunked in the first place. Okay, so it wasn't his fault he was so attractive, but his beauty was so blinding sometimes that Spencer was constantly making an idiot out of herself and she wanted to repay him for all the door collisions, dropped books and spilt drinks his presence caused.

Hoisting herself up on the side ladder in the deep end, Spencer maintained eye contact with him as she slowly and purposely climbed out. Her bikini clinging to her body, she made sure to put on a show for him. Ringing her hair out before flipping it back out, her teeth raked over her bottom lip. When Toby dropped the spatula he had been using and it hit the cement with a resounding 'clink', Spencer inwardly grinned. Sashaying his way, she stepped up behind him, dragging the towel from around his neck down and stealing it. Leaning over the lawn chair behind him, she kicked her leg up and began dabbing at it with the towel. Toby gawked on, before shaking his head and retrieving his utensil. Giggling a bit to herself, Spencer stepped up her game. Her fingertips whispering ever so lightly against his spine, she left them pressed between his shoulder blades, her lips pressing against the back of his neck.

"It is so hot over here," she fanned her face, "Aren't you hot?"

Toby gulped, shutting the lid of the grill, "A little bi- whoa! Spencer!"

He wasn't expecting the trade off of her warm hands for the cool, almost shocking sensation of sunblock on his back. As Spencer began rubbing it in for him- though, he wasn't burning at all yet; Spencer just wanted an excuse to touch him- Toby growled. She took her sweet time, too. She was still caressing his skin with her palms long after the liquid was soaked in. She turned him around, dabbing some onto his chest. Toby gritted his teeth together to keep from releasing anymore sounds. Caleb was making cat calls from the pool at them; calling Toby a sissy because his woman was putting on his lotion for him, but Spencer was already one step ahead of him and saluting Caleb with her middle finger.

"Spencer," Toby warned.

"There," Spencer concluded, "Oh, wait. Missed a spot."

"Where?"

Her hands against his chest, Spencer pushed herself up on the tip of her toes, pecking his mouth, "Right there."

Toby couldn't help but smile down at her, "Think you've got it all now?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Thank you."

"Hey, Spence!" Aria called, waving her arms, "Stop lathering up your personal chef and get back in here!"

"I'll come back in a minute!" Spencer called back, "But first I need to help Toby find some of the condiments and plates."

"Spencer, you've already got everything set out. If you forgot something I know where everything is and it's no tr-"

But Spencer was pushing Toby into the double doors of her kitchen regardless of his assurance, locking the door behind her. Toby lifted a brow at her.

"...trouble. Why did you lock the door?"

"To keep them out," Spencer whispered, pushing Toby down onto the closest stool and stepping between his legs, "And to keep you in."

"Why?"

"So I can tell you how furious I am with you without having to worry about eavesdropping."

Toby frowned. "Am I in trouble?"

Running her hands through his shaggy hair, Spencer nodded against his forehead, "So much trouble. You made me lose my focus and it cost me my winning title of Chicken War Warrior. You distracted me."

"I distracted you? How?" Toby laughed, "I was just an innocent bystander cheering you on as I melted over your lunch that you asked me to prepare while you took a refreshing dip in the pool. Remember?"

"You made me lose."

"Uh-huh. Is this the part where you're going to tell me how angry you are at me for breathing in your general direction?"

"No," Spencer sang, moving her hands from his hair to cup his face, "I'm going to _show_ you."

Spencer knew that Toby hadn't intentionally set out to distract her and cost her the victory she had been anticipating, but she had to admit her form of revenge was worth being dunked in the water. Placing her mouth over his, she smiled against his lips.

"I'm absolutely furious with you," she whispered between kisses, "For being so distracting."

Toby pulled her closer, his hands on her hips, "Mmm. Maybe if you told me how I was being distracting I could compensate for your loss."

Her lips moving hungrily against his, her tongue brushing his, Spencer moaned into his mouth, pressing herself closer to him. "If I told you how sexy you look sans shirt grilling or that I just can't seem to control my eyes around you, then I'd never hear the end of it and I'd be subjecting myself to utter devastation. I love your huge heart and your huge biceps, but I don't know if I could handle a huge ego."

Toby smiled. Pulling Spencer into his lap, he kissed her back with just as much passion as she had concocted. He guided her legs around his torso, locking them there. The rapping against the door threw them both for a loop, and Toby ended up biting her lip, drawing blood. Spencer winced, and he apologized profusely, before they both glared at Aria at the back door.

"Toby!" Aria said through the glass, "Grill duty, remember?"

Spencer groaned as Toby stood up, lowering her down carefully. He took her hand and unlocked the door, "Now who is the one being distracting, huh?"

Blushing, Spencer swatted at his arm, sniffling, "What's that smell?"

Toby dashed for the grill, where smoke was now filtering through the vents. Looking at Spencer, he shrugged, "I hope you like your meat extra well done."

Caleb wrapped himself in a towel, grabbing his phone from the table near Toby, "I'm ordering pizza."

Hanna elbowed Spencer, laughing, "Did you find those plates you were looking for?"

Spencer blushed, "Shut up."

"What about those condiments?" Aria teased.

Spencer folded her arms, "I'm muting you both for the rest of the day."


	15. You've Been Hit by a Smooth Criminal

**_You've Been Hit by a Smooth Criminal_**

Dunking a soft sea sponge into a fire hydrant- red bucket of Pinnacle Body Soap and hose water, Spencer flicked her hair back over her shoulder. She had worn it down today, but was regretting the decision because her hair kept ending up coated in soap suds. She wanted Toby's truck to smell like coconut oil and mint, not her tresses. Still, if the product did all the label on it claimed, the tips of her hair would surely be smooth because the oils it contained behaved as a lubricant.

Toby was home today- his only day off this week- and Spencer had taken it upon herself to kidnap his truck. She had been sincere in regards to her offer to clean his 'baby' for him and felt it was the least she could do since he had opened his home to her. It wasn't even eleven yet and the sun had already set in the sky, beating down and burning the pads of her bare feet. Even though she was continuously exposing her skin - and clothing- to the cool hose water, Spencer was still sweating. If it was a scorcher out at this hour, she hated to imagine the temperature highs for Rosewood in a few hours. The car perfectly situated in her driveway, as far out of the direct sunlight as she could manage, because she knew that shielding Toby's truck from the sun would prevent premature drying and splotching later, Spencer got down to business. Dressed in a white burnout striped racer-back tank, a pair of destroyed denim boyfriend shorts, and some Wayfacer sunglasses, she still maintained her reputation of being fashionable while dirtying herself up to beat the dirt off of Toby's vehicle.

Aiming the light jet from the hose onto the front of Toby's sandy truck, she decided the force behind it wasn't enough to eliminate the leftover traces of bird waste. The front near his headlights looked like a bug cemetery, and even though she knew Toby's car was a bit of a classic and should be handled delicately, this spray obviously wasn't doing the trick. She didn't want to chip the paint, but she didn't want to leave the residue from his work cite on his car either. Increasing the force of her forefinger along the trigger, Spencer yelped when the water ricocheted, dampening her top. Still, she had finally managed to loosen the grime on the surface. Clicking the hose off for a moment, she climbed up to pull out Toby's windshield wipers into a propped position before resuming the pre-rinse. Satisfied with her preparation, she fished out the sponge she had soaking in the bucket and began gently moving it in large circles from the top down. Unlike most car-wash soap she had encountered, this one actually appealed to her nostrils without being overpowering and she didn't mind the least when she was coated in it up to her elbows.

She was spraying off the tires when Toby crept up behind her, his hands digging into her waist, "You know, breaking and entering and battery can both be considered Class A Misdemeanors, if not felonies. I thought you fought crime, not created it."

Spencer shrieked in alarm, not expecting anyone home for at least another hour. She thought for sure she had timed it right so that Toby would sleep in and she'd have his truck, shiny and new, back to him before he even woke for the day. The hose spraying Toby in the chest as a result of her surprise, Spencer flicked it off, covering her mouth.

"Toby!"

Toby stood there, his arms held out, his mouth wide, "Well, if I wasn't wide awake before, I am now!"

"I didn't know that _borrowing_ your significant other's truck for some renovations was considered a crime. You can look at me all you want with those deer eyes but I refuse to be remorseful because you had it coming, sneaking up on me like that."

Toby shook off his arms, ringing out the bottom of his shirt. "It is when it's your significant other's lone mode of transportation and his most prized possession. I'm here because I ran into a little bird that convinced me an Amber Alert wasn't necessary and told me I'd find you, and my truck, here. And also because I'm doing my own renovations in the loft and the plumbing's out for the week. I was hoping it would be cool for me to freshen up here, unless of course your parental units would object to a naked boy in your shower."

Spencer sniggered, poking at his chest, "Gee, I don't know why they'd have a problem with that. But yes, you may. My Mom is at the evil place they hold her paycheck ransom and my Dad is out trying to battle his muffin top."

Turning back around to continue her task, she waved a little, "The towels are in the cupboard to the left of the sink on the third sh-"

"Excuse me!" Toby laughed, stepping up behind her again and tearing the hose from her hand. He lowered the aim so if she hit the release button again by mistake- or on purpose- it would only get his feet wet. Spinning her around and drawing her into his hips, he smiled. "Where the heck is my hello kiss?"

Spencer gave him a toothy grin in return, granting his wish by standing on her toes to place her lips over his. She pecked his lips playfully a few times before pulling on his muscle shirt and reeling him in for a longer kiss, lingering there as she sighed happily into his mouth.

"Hello," she breathed, rubbing their noses together lovingly before dropping her hands from his sides and stepping back to look up at him, "I hope you can find it in your heart to take mercy upon my poor soul because this was just an act of kindness for the world's sweetest boyfriend."

Toby wasn't finished with her yet. His shower could wait. Looping his pinky fingers into her belt holes, he dragged her back against him, backing her against the hood of the truck. His lips greeted her cheeks, eyelids and nose before he took her bottom lip between his, the tip of his tongue pushing against hers. Pleased with her reaction, a soft moan, he moved his hands up her hips, ribs and shoulders, cupping her face. He smoothed down some soap suds on her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs before breaking their kiss.

She leaned into him, her eyes still shut in anticipation of him coming back for a sequel to their opening kiss. When he didn't she stuck out her bottom lip, her eyes stapled to his swollen lips.

"I don't know, Miss Hastings. With your previous track record for stealing the stars from the sky so I could stargaze whenever I look into your eyes and then what with you stealing my heart...I'd say you're a thief. What you've committed isn't punishable by law, but I can promise you, you'll be paying the price through community service. And by community, I mean me. And by service I mean..."

His lips gradually inched closer to hers, and Spencer was so looking forward to the reunion, but Toby took it upon himself to seek revenge at that moment, spraying her down the back with the hose. She gasped silently, unable to emit any sound. She was about to retaliate when he backed away, dodging the path of her sponge.

"Hey, hey, anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law!"

"Oh, is that so?" Spencer giggled, chasing him around the perimeter of his truck, "In that case...Toby, Toby, Toby! Toby!"

He sprayed her from the opposite side of the truck and she ducked, covering her head as she squealed. He was laughing hysterically, edging up behind her again to plan his next attack. He sprayed her behind and thighs and she shrieked again, dashing around to the back of his truck. She got him square in the nose with her sponge and he began chasing her again. They looped around his truck at least half a dozen times before he stopped, looking around for Spencer.

"Sp-encer!" he dragged out playfully, readying his weapon, "Come on out. You can run but you can't hi-i-ide! Hey! Foul!"

Spencer cackled evilly, lifting the now empty bucket of water and soap over her head in a victory call, "Toby are you okay? Are you okay, Toby?"

Grabbing Toby by the sleeves of his wife-beater, she pulled him closer, causing him to sit down on the edge of the bed of the dripping truck, "Because you've been hit by, you've been hit by a smooth criminal."

Toby removed the bubbles from his tongue with his fingers, shaking out his head as she pushed him against the bed of the truck, "Whoa, okay there MJ, don't start your moon walking just yet. You just might find your sheets all wet after I roll in them when I get out of the shower...or maybe before..."

When she pushed him again, harder this time, he gulped, "Oooh, yes ma'am!"

Dusting his fingers along her now see through blouse, he tugged on the ends of it flirtatiously, wondering if she wore a white shirt on purpose. Unlike most days, she was actually wearing a bra, and the lime green outline of it was now clearly visible, his attention sinking to that general area naturally.

"I have yet to pay you for your labors. Most car washes are prepaid. I'm afraid I've left my credit card and coffee stash at home, but I specifically recall you telling me that part of my payment option entailed kisses."

Spencer trailed her fingers up and down his chest, admiring the way his muscles stood out through his wet wife beater, "Mm, you can pay me later. First I want to make sure you're a satisfied customer."

Taking charge and rotating them, lifting Spencer up and sitting her in the bed of his truck, Toby gripped her thighs with one hand, the other coming around to support the back of her neck.

"I'm taking you to dinner tonight."

Spencer started to open her mouth, but Toby shook his head at her, "Don't even bother posing an argument because I've already made up my mind. We're going. Wear a dress. Be ready by five."

Spencer blushed. Her fingers connecting the freckles along his neck, she tugged on one of his earlobes, undressing him with her eyes, "Alright. You've got me there. I love it when you take charge like that. Sexy."

Toby brushed his lips against hers, "_You're_ sexy."

Leaning over her, he kissed up her neck to her jaw, stopping at the corner of her mouth to speak gruffly against her skin there, "Now, let me make my payments."

Spencer caught his mouth before he caught his, one arm lacing around his neck, while the other tugged on his shirt again, encouraging him to join her in the bed of the truck. He climbed up, licking his lips as she reclined backwards until she was lying in puddles of water and soap, her hair sticking in some spots as it fanned out. She gave him a brief smile before stabbing her fingers into the back of his neck, forcing their mouths together. Her leg tangling with his as she ran her foot up the back of his calf, Spencer deepened their lip lock. Her hands journeyed up the front of his shirt, her fingernails making their mark against the smooth muscles on his stomach. He flinched but groaned in pleasure, loving the feeling of her damp skin against his. Considering their serious discussion about wanting to wait a few days earlier, Toby was surprised that Spencer had permitted him to lift her shirt, but she did. He didn't hesitate to pepper her flat stomach with kisses before moving upwards, and then back down on the same path, halting when he came to the lining of her shorts. Her fingers wrapped around his hair and her short breaths let him know he was doing something right. He knew he and Spencer had nearly been caught making out in her driveway on several occasions, but for the most part, her driveway was gated and private, and her parents weren't home to break them up this time and give him the boot. The walls of the back of the truck curtained them a bit from the outside world, and it helped that they were parked under a tree.

Spencer breathed out his name when he began working on a previous hickey from the day before along her navel, before Toby began leaving another mark along the side of her neck, where he knew her hair would cover. Spencer tilted her head to the side in permission, her fingertips running lower and lower until the tickled the top of his boxers' elastic band. Searching for his lips with hers, she sprinkled open mouth kisses along his collarbone, before finally reconnecting their mouths. Spencer knew that she was testing her limits, but was about to reach a stopping point because the light sensation in the bottom of her stomach was flashing all kinds of red lights. It would only be a matter of time before she forgot their agreement, so she was thankful when Toby put a stop to their session by balancing on his forearms and kissing her forehead.

"Think that'll cover it?" he panted, sitting back on his knees.

Spencer remained in her position, covering her now completely swollen lips with her palm, "I think you've paid your dues and then some. Maybe I'll quit my dreams of going to a top notch college and seriously consider becoming a Car Wash provider instead, if I can get tips like that."

"Don't you dare. Besides, I'm the only person who gets to kiss you like that, remember?"

"I don't recall this promise. Maybe you'll have to refresh my memory?"

"We both know if I do that one of your parents is going to catch us or..." he trailed off, smiling, "Come on, you. Up you go. Your hair is going to forever smell of coconut."

Spencer groaned as Toby helped her up, throwing her head back until he assisted in scooping her down and planting her feet on the cement, "Alright, alright, party pooper. I guess I better get back to my true calling and you," Spencer pressed her lips against his neck, before swatting at his behind, "Take off your clothes and get inside."

When he gave her a funny look, Spencer giggled, pointing with her hose, " I meant get inside and _then_ strip. Go, before I ward you off with the force."

"So, not only are you a top scholar, a secret agent and the world's sweetest girlfriend, but you're also a thief, professional car waxer and a Jedi? Wow. I'm impressed."

True to her warning, Spencer squirted Toby's back as he ran inside, "May the hot water be with you, Skywalker. Shower you must. Stink you will not."

Toby pointed, "You missed a spot!"

He managed to shut the patio door before it was coated in water from Spencer's line of fire. Chuckling, he headed upstairs to her room for a shower, but not before watching her lovingly from the window in the hallway. Not able to rid himself of the permanent smile on his face, he stepped into her shower, pouring out a generous serving of her body wash. Examining the label, he chortled.

Spencer may smell like a coconut heavy cleaning product, but now he was going to smell like Tahitian Renewal. And oddly? He was okay with that.


	16. In the Heat of the Moment

_**In the Heat of the Moment **_

"I'm so glad we finally decided to do this," Spencer smiled, passing a quick glance over her shoulder at the gorgeous boy behind her, "It's a welcomed change. My family has their meal plan on rotation and it's always so bland. When I request a variety the inform me I can add ketchup, barbecue sauce or salt."

A dish towel draped over his shoulder, Toby returned her facial gesture, heating the contents in the skillet over his stove as Spencer trimmed their chicken, "I am too. I'm glad we could spice things up."

Tossing in a teaspoon of parsley, Spencer went back to her chicken duty, hacking away, "See, I never cook at home. My parents just lurk over my shoulder all the time. They even make commentary on how I butter my bread. With you I feel I am free to explore other avenues of my culinary skills...or at least, build on them, without being under the heavy supervision of hard to please critics."

Stirring in a hint of lemon juice, Toby lowered the heat on the stove-top to medium. He did a double take at his now proclaimed personal chef girlfriend, before deciding he should interfere before his counters ended up stained red. Stepping behind her, he placed a hand over her hand- weary of the knife it was enclosed around. He slowed her motions, readjusting the position of her delicate, elongated fingers and then applying more pressure to her force.

"You can cook with me whenever you like, but not at the cost of any of your body parts. Easy there, tiger. You're getting a little too blade happy. Now I see why they keep you under close surveillance- it'd be a shame if you were robbed the privilege of saluting someone with your middle finger."

Spencer backed her elbow into his rib-cage, "You know, the whole purpose of preparing a meal together is to increase our ability to work as a team. If you can't trust me to hold my own and prepare this chicken, then how are we ever going to master the catch-your-fainting-partner ice-breaker game?"

"Well," Toby laughed, "I'd like to think that at this point in our relationship we no longer need ice-breakers. I do trust you. I just don't trust the knife. It's getting a little too close to your skin. I don't like anything touching your skin...but me, that is."

"Uh-huh. Well, then you must hate my blankets, my towels...and my clothes. Because those touch my skin on a daily basis."

"Wouldn't be the first time I'd be jealous of an inanimate object," Toby mumbled, "Oh, I am."

As Spencer placed the chicken into the pan to saute and then she made her way over to the sink to wash her hands thoroughly, Toby moved behind her again, his nose digging into her apple scented hair. Spencer quivered, the hairs on her arms standing up; she could feel Toby's hot breath on her shoulder and she reckoned the sudden increase in temperature wasn't because of the oven.

Toby licked his lips, the tips of them brushing against her ear- thankful that today her hair was in a bun so it made his task easier. "Which is why you should just sleep in my arms instead, I can be your covers. I promise I'll keep you warm. As for the towel...if you're opposed to air drying, you're welcome to use me. Your clothes...you should just take those off. Problem solved."

Spencer's stomach did a somersault. Raising her shoulder in an attempt to get Toby's lips to vacate their current habitat, she tried to speak, but her words came out slurred and shaky.

"I-I-I need to dry my hands. Pass me your towel?"

Toby's lips continued to tease her, only they were now skydiving to her neck. As Spencer tilted her head to presumably meet his lips, he dodged them, stumbling backwards. He cockily leaned against the makeshift island, smirking at her.

"Make me."

"Toby," Spencer argued, a hand to her forehead in frustration. Now was not the time for games. "Give me the towel."

"If you want it, you can come and get it."

Spencer pressed her lips together. Fine. If he wanted to play this game, she'd play it...but her way. Lurching forward, she managed to back him into the fridge, rustling the containers of cereal he had resting on top, and disturbing his countless magnets, postcards and photo booth pictures of them. Slithering until they were nose to nose, Spencer lowered her eyes to his lips. Toby bought into it, eager to make the first move, his mouth opening as he released his tongue to run along her upper lip. Spencer let him, but once he tried to full on kiss her, she reversed, raising her still dripping hands and splashing the access water on her skin at his face in a flicking motion.

Toby closed his eyes, hissing, "Hey!"

Partaking in a celebratory jig, Spencer stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend, "For the record? I'm opposed to air drying."

Toby peeled himself off of the fridge, cracking his back as he did so to relieve some of the tension that had built up. Narrowing his eyes at Spencer, he held up the towel, dangling it in front of her face, "Here."

Spencer went to reach for it, "Thank y-"

But Toby yanked it upwards, higher than she could reach, even on her tippy toes. Spencer jumped up, groaning. Toby lowered it again mockingly. She reached, he raised it. They went back and forth for a while, Toby laughing hysterically at her failure, and Spencer tossing swear words around like that was the rate of vocabulary capacity. Spencer had almost managed to yank it away from him by claiming his stove was engorged in flames, but Toby caught her, tickling her mercilessly. Her giggles and snorts warmed his heart, but he brought his attacks to a simmer, moving from tight squeezes to gentle caresses. His shirt that she had borrowed for the night had unrolled at the sleeves, and part of it was hanging off her shoulder as a result of their movements, and small wisps of her hair had slipped out of her bun. Toby was completely mesmerized by her.

Reaching out for the towel that Toby had parked back on his shoulder, Spencer ran her hands across it, shamelessly letting her palms brush down the length of his chest. Toby reached out to tuck some hair back from her eyes, and Spencer dove her lips forward to kiss the side of his gentle hand. She kissed his palm, skiing up the hill of his defined arm, pulling on it with her free hand so that he wrapped his arms around her. Jumping over the fabric on his shoulders, and happy that Toby's button down shirt was open at the chest, Spencer pressed her lips against his toned chest, continuing her trek. She heard Toby draw back a breath, as her gentle kisses met with the sensitive patch on his Adam's apple, and she sighed when his hands raised up the shirt she was wearing; his fingertips feeling like cotton as they explored her spine.

"The towel is all yours," Toby breathed.

Spencer's teeth sank into neck like a can opener, earning her a groan, "I don't want the towel," she finally found his lips, "I'll just use you."

Something in Toby snapped. His reactions, once gentle and slow, transitioned into flat out groping. One hand was rounding her taut stomach under his shirt he had rented to her, while the other cupped around her butt. Spencer moaned, trying to keep up with how vigorously his lips were now moving against hers, with such lust and urgency. She stepped in between his legs, willing her body closer to his. Their kisses were growing in length now- and picking up speed. Toby's hand was rising higher and higher, and Spencer's stomach was now hosting the Olympics. She knew better than to play with fire but the glow of it was so enchanting. Still, she managed to withdraw her lips from his, backing away until she was standing between his kitchen and his sitting area, her eyes on the ground.

Toby rubbed his lips, his eyes wide with concern, "What's wrong? Spence? Where are you going?"

"If you can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen."

"I'm not Chef Ramsey...you're not being booted out. I didn't mean to...I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For being so...the way I...aggressive. I know we're waiting, and I fully respect, support and agree with your decision, but when you look at me the way you do...I can't help myself. I guess it's a good thing I'm required to keep a fire extinguisher in my kitchen, huh?"

Smiling adoringly at Toby's nervous speech and his nervous chuckles, Spencer wrapped her arms around his neck, pecking his lips. "You are adorable and I love you. To be honest? I was really enjoying myself. I'm just terrible when it comes to self control; I used to rewrap my gifts on Christmas Eve after my parents had gone to bed because the temptation to see what was under the wrapping was too much. And in the midst of tearing those suckers off with much gusto, I forgot the true meaning of Christmas; giving. I wound up going to bed feeling guilty, sick to my stomach almost, wishing I would have just waited to give in until the morning. I'd mastered the "Wow! What a surprise!" reaction by the time I was eight. Toby. When I give myself to you, I don't want to ruin the surprise. I want it to be like Christmas morning."

Toby planted a tender kiss on her temple, massaging her jaw with his thumbs, "It will be. Because I want the same thing. I love you."

Spencer sighed happily, keeping her hand against his chest as she checked on their Chicken Scampi, "But you know...there are other festivities we can partake in. We've got twelve minutes to kill."

"Oh? Are there?"

"Mm-hmm. Like...cuddling. And kissing."

Reaching around her to set the timer, Toby grinned, "Sounds perfect."

Spencer deleted the time he had just set, swatting his hand away, "We don't need a timer. You don't trust me to keep an eye on our food, do you? You think I'm going to burn it!"

"No! No. I have complete faith in you. I just know how distracted we tend to get."

"Well, we won't. Besides, I have my watch on."

* * *

Minutes later, Spencer and Toby were still lying horizontally on Toby's couch, his television chirping in the background. What began as innocent cuddling turned into a series of soft kisses, and presently, a lip lock that would surely be a runner up for some sort of record for Longest Kiss. This session was less heated than the other, but as Toby had so accurately predicted; they had gotten distracted.

The overpowering smell of smoke wafted through Toby's nostrils, forcing him to speak up against Spencer's tempting lips of captivity, "Do you smell that?"

"Your cologne? Yeah. It's amazing," Spencer whispered, returning to their previous engagement.

"No," Toby carefully removed her from his lap, sniffling, "It smells like- like smoke."

Both eyed each other, panic strewn about their faces. They at once dashed into the kitchen, Spencer's arms flailing about over her head.

"Not the scampi!" she cried, making a beeline for the oven.

Without thinking, Spencer wrapped her fingers around the handle of the pan, removing it from the stove top and dumping it into the sink, where the steam rose. Toby cranked open the window, coughing. When he heard Spencer yelp, he was by her side- gasping as he saw the severity of her recklessness. Taking her hand, he forced it under the tap, applying cold water to her palm. Spencer hissed, letting out a heart breaking sob. Toby apologized, his free hand rubbing her back soothingly.

He let her hand stay there under the fall of the calming waters, turning off the oven and stove, switching on the kitchen fan to help air out the apartment. He returned to Spencer, shutting off the water and lifting her onto the counter top nearest the sink. His hand still on her thigh, he dug into the cabinet above her, cradling her head as he shut it. Rummaging his first aid kit, he found the desired creams and bandages, turning her palm up to the ceiling.

"Spencer, what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking our dinner was burning and that you were going to turn into Chef Ramsey."

"Baby," Toby tutted, "You're not invincible," he squinted, examining her hand, "I think you'll be alright. Here. This might sting for a second..."

Spencer hissed at him, whimpering as he applied the cream, "You can say I told you so if you want."

"I'm not going to say that." Toby winced as Spencer whispered, his eyes meeting hers, "I know, baby, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Almost done."

"It burns," Spencer pouted, her eyes filling with tears.

"I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Ssh."

Concluding his work, Toby wrapped her hand with gauze, kissing her palm over the bandaging. He looped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the counter like she was a child. She wrapped her body around him, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. He rocked them back and forth, kissing her hair repeatedly. He somehow doubted that Spencer had ever learned to look both ways before she crossed the street, or not to talk to strangers, or not to go swimming after eating.

Spencer peeked over his shoulder, her pain lessening as Toby whispered comforting words into her ear.

"I ruined everything. I killed our dinner."

Toby turned around, keeping her in his arms, on the side of his hip now. Spencer locked her arms around his neck, leaning her head into the side of his shoulder. "No. We still have our angel hair and garlic bread. I wasn't in the mood for chicken anyways. Besides, there are much more important things to worry about. Like you."

"I'm fine. I wish I could say the same for our chicken."

"Forget the chicken. It's my fault, anyways. I had the burner up too high."

Knowing fully well that it was not in fact Toby's fault, Spencer smiled softly, turning his chin with her forefinger so he'd look at her, "Toby Cavanaugh."

"Yes, Spencer Hastings?"

"You're amazing," Spencer concluded whimsically.

Lowering Spencer into her chair at his table, Toby dished them up some noodles, "Likewise. We should cook together more often."

Spencer giggled, "I'm going to leave it to you from now on. This week I set fire to your frying pan, next week it could be your entire apartment. Then you'd have no place to live. I pledge to steer clear of knives and ovens from this point on."

Pulling Spencer into his lap, Toby offered her a bite of noodles, knowing she was out a hand at the moment. Watching as she slurped up the noodle, he rubbed his nose against hers, "Then I'll just have to bunk with you."

"Hmm. Maybe we_ should_ cook together more often, then. Here. Let me rekindle our romantic candlelit dinner."

Moving to light the lone candle on Toby's table, Toby stopped Spencer, chortling, "Let's skip the candles. Just as a precaution."


	17. Until Then

**_As per request- Toby watching Spencer sleep. This one is just about as fluffy as Peter Cottontail. Hope you enjoy it! Getting to your prompts as I can- look for another update within the next day. While I do love reading your prompts and find them helpful, I'm always thankful for your feedback on actual chapters. Please don't forget to leave those in the midst of your requests :) Thanks for being the wonderful souls that you are! I have THE best readers! xo._**

**_Quick shoutout to Marcella and Ana for their kindness and friendship, two extremely talented authors that I absolutely adore!_**

**_I'd also like to shout out kjkajjejee who left me a "yawn" in their review. If you dislike my writing and don't find my stories exciting enough, simply do not read them. Thanks for reminding me that I'm blessed to have the kind readers I do. Have a beautiful day. _**

**_I'd also like to inform you guys: This is focused during the six months we missed out on prior to the beginning of season 3. While I'm sure Spencer and Toby had to overcome A TON and I'm sure it was anything but easy, and I'm sure they've had rocky moments since then, I've been trying to keep these updates pretty light. However, I do have a few prompts I'm working on that request a few "bumps" so I will do that. I just ask for your patience. :) Thanks folks! _**

* * *

**_Until Then_**

It was slightly overcast in Rosewood, a blanket of fog washing over the the Hastings' acres of land as whispy rays of sunlight attempted to puncture through to say good morning. Steam rose like smoke off of the streets, the streetlights no longer lucent as they flickered their notice of retirement, passing their torch to mother nature. The crisp, freshly mowed grass whistled with the refreshing breeze. Veronica's perfectly pruned, yellow Snapdragons gave off a glow as Toby whisked past them. It seemed the garden fairies had paid the rest of the yard a visit, because everything was proudly abloom. Coats of orange, gray and yellow reflected off polished windows, revolving like a disco ball as Toby gently opened the side door. As Toby's feet tiptoed across the floor, rounding for the stairs that lead to his prized destination, the smooth, delectable, aromatic, javan fragrance of newly brewed coffee filled his nasal cavity. As this alluring air of renewal traveled throughout the manor, Toby couldn't believe Spencer wasn't down swimming in it yet.

Cordovan lipstick stains on a flowered coffee mug indicated that Mrs. Hastings had only just left for work, and the blender cup resting in the sink clued Toby in that Mr. Hastings had already taken his jog around town and left for work perhaps fifteen minutes ago. Smirking, he relished in the texture of glossy wood under his palms as he hiked up the oh-so familiar steps, skipping each one in between to quicken his arrival. Careful to keep his current stealth status, Toby pried Spencer's door open. It wasn't quite eight yet, but Toby was still surprised she wasn't awake. She normally had a painfully long class on Wednesday mornings- but perhaps it had been canceled.

Grabbing her phone from her dresser, Toby unlocked it. Checking the alarms she had set, it was confirmed that her usual 6am alarm was now replaced with a nine am wake up call. Bending down to pick up a blanket that Spencer had kicked off during the night, Toby draped it over Spencer's fetal positioned body, smiling lovingly. The little rays of sunshine that were attempting to play peek-a-boo with her skin gave off an entrancing glow. Waves of chocolate swept across the distinctive features of Spencer's face in her most relaxed state. Small sounds of slumber emanating through her slightly open lips.

Using the back of his blistered knuckles, Toby cottoned her cheekbone. There was something so special about watching Spencer sleep, knowing he was one of the few that saw her before she got all dolled up. His lips against her temple before whispering a quick word of adoration, Toby retreated into the bathroom.

By the time Toby was fresh and clean, one of Spencer's fluffed towels loosely around his waist- the indents of his hip bones making a cameo- Spencer was awake. She was peeking at him from one of her many pillows, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She smiled at him giddily as he noticed her through the mirror, sinking back into her pillow, her arms wove tightly around it. She watched on as her boyfriend dried off his perfect physique, reckoning that this was better than coffee. She was gaining more consciousness with every shift of his muscles. The six captivating ripples across his chest were of special focus this morning, so much that she didn't even hear Toby calling out to her.

"Good morning, beautiful," Toby tried again, swapping his hair towel for the sheets on her bed. He peeled them back, crawling into bed with her, careful not to lose his towel as he shifted.

Spencer made room for him, resting her head against his slightly dampened chest.

"Morning, handsome," she yawned back.

Squeezing his body, her fingers roaming patches of toned skin, Spencer sighed contently as Toby's hands combed through her hair.

"I missed you," she rasped, her voice still raw.

Pressing a lingering kiss against the top of her hair, Toby ran his fingers up and down Spencer's spine through his t-shirt- the light gray one she had borrowed and had never given back- not that he wanted it back. He loved knowing that she not only kept it, but slept in it every night. Plus, it looked so much better on her.

"I missed you, too. No class this morning?"

"Na-uh. Professor Proctor had to care for her sick children, so she posted all of our assignments online earlier this morning."

"And let me guess, you've already finished them?"

Her hair tickled his bare skin as she nodded against him, running her fingers along the trail of his bellybutton, "I woke up at five, and had them completed by six. What time do you have to report to work?"

"Not until noon, actually."

Spencer yawned for the second time, playing with the tip of Toby's towel, causing goosebumps to form on his tanned skin. She giggled, spreading a series of light kisses slowly beginning there up to his lips, "Do you have any plans leading up to that time?"

Toby applied more pressure to her back in response, "You tell me?"

Crawling on top of him so that their bodies were completely in synch, Spencer rested her head under his chin, loving the pulsating of his heart under her left ear. It sounded like the hooves of horses, and it brought such serenity to her that it was as if she was listening to the waves of the ocean. She kept her lips against his pulse point as she replied softly.

"You're welcome to spend the remainder of your free time with me."

Dragging the covers up to Spencer's waist, Toby sketched Spencer's name over and over on her lower back.

Spencer could feel Toby's smile even though she couldn't see it, and she matched it, her eyes fluttering shut, fatigue still present in her system.

"There's nothing else I'd rather be doing. You can go back to sleep, sweetie. You're tired."

"I wish I could wake up to your sweet face every morning," Spencer mumbled, "I wish we could cuddle like this every morning."

"I'd love that. You can...Spencer, I've been thinking..." Toby started nervously, wrapping his arms tighter around her petite frame, "When the loft is finished maybe you could-"

A light humming from Spencer's chest synchronized with the tiniest of snores, her hot breath hitting his skin in a relaxed pattern informed Toby that Spencer had fallen back asleep. Sighing, Toby gave her one last kiss atop her head before letting his eyes give in to the heaviness they were suddenly feeling. He'd been working up the courage to ask Spencer to move in with him...but maybe now wasn't the time. She had so much going on, and the last thing he wanted was to interfere or be the reason why she lost her focus. That was the least of his worries, too. He knew her parents would have a fit, not that they were ever really around to care for her. He knew she still had one more year of school to wrap up. Maybe logically it didn't make sense, but his body ached to hold her when she wasn't with him. She seemed to fit so perfectly in his loft, in his bed, in his arms. In his heart.

Still, Toby looked forward to the day this became their routine; where he didn't have to drive across town to kiss her good morning. Someday, and hopefully someday soon, he'd simply have to roll over to greet her good morning.

Until then, this was perfect.


	18. Dreamcatcher

_**Another request: Spencer having a nightmare and Toby comforting her. I do not own PLL or the lines used in this installment. **_

_**Italics note Spencer's dream. :) **_

_**Dreamcatcher**_

_"We're in this together," Mona smirked, keeping her eyes fixated on the snake shaped highway, "I admire you, Spencer. That's why you get to decide how this ends tonight."_

_The tires screeched and Spencer clutched the arm rests of the passenger seat. Panic rising in her throat, among other things, Spencer swallowed quickly. _

_Despite the throbbing against the left side of her temple, she could make out the numbers on the speedometer, her insides flipping like a pancake in a frying pan. That's what she felt like now, really. A pancake. A pancake being flipped in a sizzling pan of grease...of filth; left on the burner, completely helpless of whether she'd end up down the garbage disposal or on a plate. The car jerked slightly as Mona held her foot down firmer on the gas pedal. They were now traveling an impressive - and terrifying- twenty five miles over the speed limit. But not only was Mona fast...she was furious. _

_The Fast and The Furious..._

_Clutching her head, Spencer moaned. Now was not the time to be making irrelevant comparisons to action flicks that she and Toby used to watch together on weekends. Used to. Toby. Together. The pain on her head wasn't solely from the impact of Mona's trigger happy friend. Now it was thoughts of Toby. _

_Inconspicuously pressing the TALK button on her phone, Toby's handsome face displayed on her home screen. Muting his half of the line, she let it rest against her mustard shaded skirt, wondering how long it would be before she was massacred- then she'd really look like a condiment bar- mustard AND ketchup. The signal gave out, so she redialed, her vision hazy. _

_Pick up, pick up..._

_The familiar Ed Sheeran ringtone coming from the back seat, Spencer gasped, turning so fast that her back cracked, completely misaligned after Mona had gashed her over the head and knocked her out. Popping up from the shadows, those alluring steel blue eyes were just as bright as the moon in the sky above. Only, they weren't the shade Spencer spent many an hour gazing lovingly into a few weeks ago. They weren't the eyes that followed hers, that reassured her of love, acceptance, forgiveness...protection. _

_They were dark. Orphic. Wicked, even._

_Mona glanced at the boy from her rear view mirror, a cheshire grin on her manic face, "Told you she'd call her Superman. Too bad he's Lex Luthor."_

_ Spencer shook her head, "Toby? What? No."_

_"You didn't really think I could just forgive you for everything you and your sick friends ever pulled, did you? Oh, Spencer. That's so sweet."_

_"I-" Spencer tried, bewildered, "This can't...I don't..."_

_Mona laughed bitterly. "Let me help you out sweetie. He used you. Just like you used him."_

_"No, no, I never...I mean I-" Spencer swallowed again, her throat constricting as she fought for consciousness, "I started to. With Jenna. But then I changed. You changed me. I fell in love with you-"_

_Both Mona and Toby shared a laugh as Mona slammed on the brakes, having arrived at the doomed location. _

_"Poor, poor Spencer," Mona turned back to Toby, "Wait here. I want to make sure the grave we dug for her is still unoccupied," she giggled at Spencer, "Don't worry, sweetie. That's only if you refuse to join us. Be right back. Don't go anywhere," she grabbed her car keys, stuffing them in her pocket, "Watch her like a hawk."_

_"Don't worry," Toby growled, his eyes still on Spencer, not blinking once, "I know all her moves. She's not going anywhere. Not under my watch."_

_Once the car door slammed, Toby cut his ice-cold act, his voice lowering back into the recognized tone he reserved for Spencer._

_"Do you have a signal?" he asked._

_Spencer looked down at her phone, "What?"_

_"Do you have a signal? She's got a gun-"_

_"I know. That's what she used to knock the daylights out of me. She stole it from my dad's office."_

_Toby reached out, "Are you alright?"_

_Spencer resisted, pushing his hand away, fighting back tears. "Don't touch me! You're one of them."_

_"Spencer, listen to me. We don't have much time. She's going to come back and she's going to give you an option. I made mine to keep you safe, and I want you to promise me now that you'll do whatever it takes to stay safe. You don't know what she's capable of-"_

_"Like running Hanna over with her car? Or putting you in the hospital?" Spencer snorted, "How much of this were you a part of? For how long? Did you really fall off the scaffolding? Let me guess...Wren is in on this, too. You faked the entire thing. Who else is in this sick little group?"_

_His hands reached for her once more, finding the hand resting in her lap and threading his fingers through hers. She formed a fist, but Toby was stronger, forcing her hand to loosen so his could fit there. She felt pressure as he squeezed it, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. _

_"Spencer, please," Toby pleaded, "I love you."_

_"Yeah, you love me? Do you always betray the people you love?" _

_Toby sighed. "It's not what you think. I kept receiving these threats. First I thought it was a stupid prank, but then the threats became concerning. This person threatened my parents, Spencer. They threatened Jenna." he gulped, his voice cracking, "They threatened you. I could never let anything happen to you. After my accident on the scaffolding, I got this message. Mona gave me the ultimatum; join or see the girl I love suffer. I thought this way-"_

_Spencer dug her finger buds into Toby's knuckles, choking back a sob. "You could keep your enemy close. You'd make for an excellent NCIS agent."_

_Brushing some hair from Spencer's temple, Toby replaced it with his lips. "Not if the hostage still winds up being knocked out with a gun."_

_The feeling of his lips on her skin was refreshing, and suddenly Spencer felt like she was on solid ground again- if even only for the time being. _

_"We need to devise a plan," she decided._

_"To?"_

_"To get that damn thing out of her hands before we end up like those stuffed deer showcased like trophies in my family's cabin. You've got a plan, right?"_

_Toby winced, "My plan was to get us the hell out of here but-"_

_The door jerked open, and Toby wrapped his arms around Spencer's neck, "Took you long enough. This bitch can't sit still."_

_Mona held the gun up between Spencer's eyes, "I've given you some time to think it over. I think you'll find I'm pretty direct with my persuasion. So what's it going to be? Join us or join Ali? They do family plots, but I'm sure they'd make an exception for a Hastings and bury you two together...if they ever find you out here."_

_Spencer looked back at Toby, her eyes full of fear. Toby looked equally distraught. Mona caught on immediately. _

_Throwing Toby's door open, Mona yanked on Spencer's arm, "Get out."_

_"What?" Toby asked._

_Mona fired a shot, hitting to the left of where Spencer's shoulder was, just barely missing it. _

_Spencer yelped, backing up. Toby lurched forward, but Mona pointed the gun in his direction, ready to fire another shot. "Next time I won't miss."_

_As Mona herded Spencer and Toby towards the six feet hole in the ground, she began her monologue on how much she was anticipating getting her revenge. _

_"So, Spencer...what will it be? Join me?"_

_Spencer spat at Mona's feet, "I'd rather be dead."_

_"I can arrange for that," Mona hissed, aiming her weapon._

_Their eyes connecting, Spencer nodded at Toby, who made a move for Mona. He moved quickly- hunched over, hitting Mona in the stomach with his shoulder like he was a football player. The deafening sound of a bullet being released rang out, echoing through the forest. Spencer stumbled backwards, screaming as she fell into her reserved grave. She heard a few more rounds, and a scream, before managing to pick herself up- though every bone in her body ached and cracked as she moved. Reaching for a root of an old tree, Spencer lifted herself up, hoisting herself out, her dress covered in dirt. She wasn't prepared for what she saw next._

_Toby was hunched over an uprooted tree, overlooking a cliff. Spencer limped towards him, willing herself to push past the pain and run to his aid. She looked down into the valley- sobbing as she viewed Mona's body down below. There was a clunk as Toby dropped the gun, his hands drenched in blood. Spencer eyed him, her voice shaky._

_"T-Toby? You got it away from her..."_

_"Yeah," he answered, falling backwards against the tree, sinking. His hands against his chest, he spit up some blood, "At a cost."_

_Spencer was kneeling in front of him within a nano second, whimpering as she tried to assess his wound. Pushing back his leather jacket, she lifted his t-shirt, searching for the entry wound. She gently bent him over, assessing his back. There was no exit wound. The bullet was still in him. _

_With her phone no where to be found, Spencer knew that help wouldn't arrive anytime soon...and by the looks of Toby, it wouldn't be soon enough. _

_Sobbing, she cradled his head against her shoulder, "It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. Help is going to arrive and you're going to be fine. You are."_

_"Spencer," Toby tried._

_"No!" Spencer snapped, "You're going to be fine. You have to be. You have to be because I need you. You have to be fine because I love you. I love you. Did you get that? I love you!"_

_Toby laughed despite his condition, coughing again. Reaching up, he cupped her cheek tenderly, "You're getting better at expressing yourself. I didn't think I'd hear those words until I was on my death bed. Guess I was right, huh?"_

_Spencer shook her head, "No. No! You are not on your death bed," she sniffled, "This isn't even a bed. You're going to be fine."_

_"I love you," Toby breathed, his eyes glazing over._

_"I'm not saying it again! I'm not saying it again because you're not dying!"_

_When he didn't answer, Spencer felt for a pulse. She weeped, rocking their bodies back and forth, "Toby, no. You don't get to do this. You do not get to die on me. You don't get to leave me. You can't leave me. We're supposed to rock in that chair while we watch our children grow. We're supposed to take road trips in your truck across the country."_

_Pulling back to cup his face, Spencer kisses his unresponsive lips for the final time, "I love you. I love you. I love you."_

Toby rolled over onto his stomach, running a hand over his eyes as they adjusted to the red lights on his alarm. Who would be pounding on his door at 3:26 in the morning?

Unbolting his door, he wasn't expecting to see Spencer.

"Spencer?" he asked, his voice heavy with concern, "What are you doing here? Are you alright?"

Spencer's eyes were blood shot. They were coated with flakes of mascara, complete with midnight circles hanging below. She collapsed against the frame of his door, and Toby reached out to catch her in his arms, lifting her. He carried her like a bride over the threshold into his bedroom, sitting down with her still in his arms.

"Spencer?" he prompted again. He was extremely worried now. She looked like she'd seen a ghost. He felt her forehead, but she was at a regular body temperature, though it appeared she was sweating.

"I can't sleep."

Toby waited for her to explain patiently, peppering her forehead with soft kisses. His arms around her, letting her know he was listening, even if he was pretty tired.

"I keep-" Spencer searched for an explanation, letting out a pitiful cry, "Mona."

"Oh, Spencer. She can't hurt you. She can't touch you. She's locked up. You're safe."

"Am I?" Spencer blinked.

Toby searched her eyes, his face saddened, "Of course you are. Nothing will happen to you. I'll make sure of it. You're safe here. I'll keep you safe. I'll always keep you safe."

A fresh tear trickled down Spencer's neck, "What about you? You're not safe."

"What are you talking about, Spence? I'm fine. See? I'm okay. I'm safe. You're safe. We are both safe."

Her entire body bouncing as she surrendered to her tears, Spencer collapsed - exhausted - against him.

Toby stroked her hair, "You had another nightmare, didn't you?"

Spencer nodded against him, "Third one this week. Every time I close my eyes...I see her...and it's the same nightmare over and over again. They all end the same."

Toby knew that Post-traumatic stress was triggering these nightmares based on his research. This wasn't the first time Spencer had come to him to seek refuge after undergoing a nightmare. It often hindered her sleep- and she'd spend hours on the phone with him, or he'd go over and hold her until she was out.

"Come here," he whispered, scooting backwards until his head was on the comfort of his pillow. He held out his arms, waiting for Spencer to join him. Once she was resting comfortably on top of him, he pressed hearts into her lower back with his thumbs.

"Nightmares are only our fears trying to get the better of us, Spencer. I know there are two kinds, and I know you've lived out part of your nightmare, but this one is in dream form. My mother used to tell me the best way to get rid of a nightmare was to fight it. The positive to having a bad dream? You have the power to alter the ending. You are in control. You just have to will yourself to be in control, to resolve it. You have to close your eyes and you have to fight. Only then can you turn a nightmare into a dream."

"What if it doesn't work? What if I have the nightmare again? I don't want to close my eyes, Toby. Please..."

Toby caressed her shoulders, "Then I'll be your dream catcher. I'll be here."

Knowing how her nightmare ended from previous snooze sessions, Spencer refused, "No. I can't. I won't. Please, Toby. I can't lose you again. They all end the same."

"Then change them. Change the ending. You can do this. You're not going to lose me," he brought her trembling hand formerly resting under her stomach up until it was over his heart, pressing her head down against the thumping there, "If it gets scary, just listen for my heart, and then you'll know that I'm not going anywhere. Because I'm not, okay? I'm not going anywhere. Now," he brushed through her knotted tresses, "Close your eyes, baby. Dream."

Resistant at first, but fatigue concurring her stubborn ways, Spencer was lulled into slumber by the steady rhythm of life under her ear. And as she dreamed about the future she so desperately wanted with Toby and her friends, her heart grew into sync with his.


	19. We Beat the Odds

**Prompt: Spoby at an amusement park. :) Enjoy!**

**_We Beat the Odds _  
**

"You know, I really don't understand people's attraction to these theme parks. They're overly crowded, overly priced, everything is sold on a stick, and they reek of bodily fluids! Not appealing at all."

Rolling his eyes at his girlfriend, Toby slung his arm around her shoulder as he navigated them through the crowd, "They're attractive because normal people like to have fun on their days off. Come on, Spence. You can't tell me you haven't enjoyed at least _one_ ride we've been on today? I'm pretty sure I heard your angelic giggling on the bumper cars."

"Yeah, that was before that little punk rear ended me and nearly gave me whiplash. I never want to have kids. They're awful. I think they seek pleasure in being pains in the ass-"

"Whoa...I think you need to blow off some steam, Spence. And speaking of steam, it's scorching out here! What do you say we hit up the Water Rafts next?"

Spencer laced her fingers through his, shielding her eyes from the sun with her free hand. She had been holed up in her room the night before studying for her summer class finals, which were still two weeks away, but to her, they may as well be the next morning- when Toby barged into her room. He threw her over his shoulder, carefully situated her in his truck, and drove her across the state to enjoy a day at one of Pennsylvania's theme parks. Spencer was pretty peeved with Toby for the first eight minutes of the drive, but her stresses and anger soon melted amidst Toby's sweet voice and his gentle touch. It was impossible to remain angry with Toby for long; he was so charming that not even Prince Charming himself could compete.

When Spencer declined his wish to become drenched to the bone- because Toby was wearing white, and she knew that no one- not even the elderly ladies waddling behind them with the fanny packs- would be able to tear their eyes from a wet Toby; his muscles would be more apparent than usual and Spencer wasn't fond of the idea of anyone setting eyes on her boyfriend. She could see it now: Toby would step off of the ride, looking more like Hercules than ever before, and Spencer would get pushed aside in the growing sea of hormonal teenage girls...and really women of all ages and assortments. She'd end up stampeded until she was as flat as the piece of Zebra gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe. Nope. She _definitely_ didn't like that idea.

"I know it feels like Satan's sauna but I think I'll pass."

" Okay, Debbie Downer. Do _you_ have any suggestions?"

Spencer's eyes landed on quite possibly the largest roller-coaster she had ever seen. Granted, she hadn't really been to very many theme parks in her lifetime, a whopping two at most- and even then she wasn't allowed to go on any rides because it was for a Spelling Bee Competition or a dreaded Hastings family reunion in which her parents insisted on sucking the fun out of everything. She'd been on baby roller-coasters before at the Rosewood fair, but nothing like this. This looked like the mother of all coasters- the Empire State Building of roller-coasters. Determined not to let her boyfriend see it, she tugged on his hand, nodding towards a less adventurous ride that didn't include any drops, loops, and certainly not high speed.

Toby, however, had already seen it, and was looking quite head over heels. The speed at which the cars raced past made his shirt ruffle, and his eyes were as bright as the neon orange pants the girl in front of them was attempting to pull off.

"Whoa! Let's try this one!" he insisted, giddy like a little child.

Spencer groaned, "Uhh...that one?"

"Yeah," Toby pointed, "THAT one. What do you say?"

"I-I-" Spencer gulped, the last thing she wanted was for Toby to think she was a wimp, "O-okay. I-I g-guess. I mean...I don't think it's high enough for me-"

The boy behind them laughed, "Lady, this ride is the highest in the state of Pennsylvania."

"Well," Spencer ignored the boy, turning back to Toby and crossing her arms, "I don't approve of the speed-"

"This thing goes from 0 to 60 in five seconds." Toby snorted.

"Well, okay...there aren't enough...loops."

"Spencer, this ride is called The Neck Snapper. I think you'll find there are plenty of loops and turns. Come on, it'll be fun! Please? For me?"

As they worked their way up the snake shaped line, Spencer could feel her courage abandon her body. Suddenly she decided it was time to start relaying facts to Toby, her statistics coming out in little sputters- like she had just guzzled down a gallon of coffee. She had seen _Final Destination-_ but she didn't want to star in the next one.

"According to the U.S. Consumer Safety Commission, in the year 2005 alone there were reported 15,000 injuries sustained while at an amusement park, all related to rides- like roller-coasters. I also read that the likeliness of someone perishing as a result of injuries received during stationary or coaster rides are about one in twenty-three million but I tend to jinx everything I touch, and I'm sure I'd be that one in twenty-three million. I mean, I'm like the Violet Jessop of Titanic- she boarded three separate ships and each of them sunk. I mean, if you think about statistics; there's always that one person that gets completely screwed over! There was man, Roy Sullivan, who was struck by lightning a shocking seven times even though statistically, the odds of that occurring are an estimated one to three-thousand. Seven times, Toby. Seven!"

"Spencer, Spencer, calm down!" Toby soothed, grabbing her shoulders, "So, we'll only go on this ride one time."

"Or we could opt for staying on the ground, where we are safe...unless, you know, a car goes flying off of the tracks and comes colliding with-"

"Spencer!" Toby cooed, cupping her face in his hands tenderly. His eyes searched hers, but it was almost as if her pupils were dilated. They were already up to the bars, the next string of cars had just parked and the operator was clearing the cars of any trash left behind by its previous thrill-seekers. Toby pointed to a little girl, who couldn't have been more than seven, "Look! She went on and she's just fine-"

"Mommy, Mommy! I wanna go again!"

"See?" Toby smiled, pressing his lips against her temple, "We'll be just fine. I promise. Nothing bad will happen to you. We beat the odds, remember? We don't become them. Let's look at it this way. You learned how to ride a bike, right?"

Spencer nodded timidly, a wave of fear washing over her features.

Toby kissed her cheek, his voice lowering to give them some privacy, "I'm sure you fell a few times, right? Or maybe you momentarily lost your balance? I'm sure at first it was terrifying, but then you got the hang of it. You went from training wheels to popping a wheelie. I'm going to be sitting next to you the entire time- which by the way, is only one minute and forty seven seconds, I counted. I'll hold your hand, I swear."

"But what if the bar isn't down all the way and I go plummeting to my death? I would not look pretty on a pavement. Or what if I obtain whiplash? What if my mouth is wide open and I swallow a wasp and it travels down my esophagus and..."

Placing a finger over her lips, Toby silenced her.

"You won't slip out. I won't let you, anyways. The operators come around to guarantee that your lap bars are securely fastened prior to launching. If you're really sick to your stomach over going, we'll just turn around and go on something a little more mediocre, but I think you'll find that you'll be severely disappointed. You'll just kick yourself later for not trying it out. It's a rush of adrenaline. Come on. I know you'll love it. You trust me, right? I would never make you get on anything that would expose you to danger."

Hacking away at her fingernails, Spencer nodded, "Fine. Okay."

Toby beamed down at her, yanking her hand from her mouth and holding it in his sturdy one, "Okay."

The clanking of the wheels against the metal was disheartening for Spencer as the car climbed up its steep path, coming to a halt at the top prepared to drop. Toby glanced over at Spencer, fighting back the urge to tease her. He chuckled lovingly at her, grabbing one of her hands from the bar and squeezing it. Spencer didn't open her eyes, in fact, she was holding her breath.

"Spencer," Toby sighed, "Look how high up we are. It's pretty cool."

"I don't want to look. I don't want to move. I want a vodka soda or I want to be sedated."

"Scream," Toby said a second later.

Spencer's eyes flew open, her head jerking towards Toby as much as possible with the safety restraints. She barely had time to demand a "What?" from her boyfriend when the car plunged down at an intense speed- sending her hair flying about. Her eyelashes fluttered. She could feel her body interacting with the force of gravity as they rounded a loop.

"I feel sick!" Spencer cried.

Toby yelled back, his voice merry, "Scream!"

Seeing no other alternative, Spencer opened her mouth and screamed. She screamed louder than the two eleven year olds in front of them. She screamed so loudly that Toby was sure his ear drums would shatter. She screamed louder than she had ever screamed before. Though he was enjoying himself, Toby almost felt guilty...that was until Spencer's screams transitioned into bursts of uncontrollable laughter. She was cheering by the time they reached the end of the ride, and pouting when it came to a permanent halt. The bars lifted up, and she began to protest giving up her seat, asking the operator if he'd let them remain in their current seats to ride one more time, but both she and Toby were refused.

Suddenly, the roles had been reversed. Toby was feeling nauseous, not prepared to go on any more rides, and Spencer was jumping up and down on her heels, dragging him around like many of the children were doing to their overwhelmed parents. After a ride on the swings, in which he and Spencer somehow managed to sit near each other- near enough to hold hands- Toby was relieved when Spencer toned down their adventure. Toby was feeling like himself again as they rode through some sort of romantic tunnel. His arm was around Spencer, her head against his chest. They stole a few kisses before Toby bought Spencer a bag of cotton candy.

They were en-route for the Ferris Wheel as the sun was starting to set when someone solicited Spencer for one of the makeshift games set up. Toby forked out a ten, determined to win Spencer an over-sized stuffed penguin, but the bottle toss proved trickier than he had guessed. Bummed, he began fishing his wallet for another bill, but Spencer stopped him, tossing down her own money. Spencer Hastings never lost and what Spencer Hastings wanted, she got. Always. Okay, so _almost_ always.

Triggering the alarm, Spencer threw her arms towards the sky, hooting in victory as the man behind the counter fished for her prize. Toby's jaw was still lounging with the deserted funnel cake on the ground when Spencer handed him her prize. Tucking it under his arm, Toby flushed in embarrassment, hurrying them away before any men could call him a sissy.

Toby was surprised when they got stranded for a bit at the top of the Ferris Wheel that Spencer didn't have a complete meltdown, but she remained completely calm. Munching on her cotton candy, Spencer licked her fingers clean, smiling at Toby. He swallowed, trying to smile back. Daring himself to look over the edge of their seat, he covered his mouth. He had never been a fan of heights, but at least on roller-coasters they'd be zooming by so fast he hardly ever noticed. Here they were dangling many, many feet above the ground, and it didn't look like they'd be moving anytime soon. He didn't dare move.

But Spencer was fidgeting in her seat, causing the cart to rock softly. Appreciating the nature that was blanketing them, Spencer gasped. The sun was fading away behind a thick layer of clouds that resembled her pink cotton candy. Shades of blue and purple danced across the sky, the fairy lights aglow on the seats and railings adding to the breathtaking view. The cars below them in the parking lot resembled tiny toy cars, the people nothing more than tiny specks at this altitude.

"Toby?" Spencer asked gently, nuzzling against the crane of his neck, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Fine. Why do you ask?"

"Because your face is greener than my shirt. You're not afraid of heights, are you?"

"Maybe just a bit."

"Oh, so I probably shouldn't do this than..." Spencer purposely rocked their cart, giggling.

Toby's hands were gripping the bars so tightly if he'd been a Superhero he surely would have damaged the metal it was composed of. Groaning, he closed his eyes, "Stop it! Don't do that!"

Poking at his shoulder, Spencer cooed. "Alright, I've had my fun. I'm sorry," her tone lightened, "I didn't think my big, strong man was afraid of anything."

"There are plenty of things that frighten me, Spence."

"What ending up with a beer belly five years from now?" she joked.

Toby shook his head, letting his eyes flutter open, "No, very funny. Like losing you."

"Hey," Spencer whispered, cupping his face, "We beat the odds, remember? You're not going to lose me. And you don't have to be afraid of heights, not when we've already reached such great heights together. Just sit back and appreciate the view."

Pulling her closer, Toby leaned down to capture her lips. He kept his nose against hers.

"I do appreciate it. Everyday. I've never seen anything so mesmerizing."

Allowing Toby to envelope her in a bear hug, Spencer inhaled his cologne, tickling the nape of his neck as she ran her hand affectionately through his hair. She knew that Toby wasn't talking about the view, but rather her.

They'd been on so many emotional roller-coasters in their relationship the past couple of months; defying gravity, feeling positively sick, feeling on top of the world. Their roller-coaster didn't just have ups and downs; it had loops. Now it seemed like they were on top of the world. And suddenly? Suddenly Spencer never wanted to come back down.


	20. Model BehAvior

**_Model BehAvior_**

"Spencer, are you sure this is a good idea?" Toby asked for what had to be the thirtieth time in the last twelve minutes, "Because I'm not too fond of the idea."

Spencer patted his chest, holding up a shirt for him to try on, shoving him into the dressing room, "Positive. Come on, you can't back out on me now. You're my honorary male recruit; Hanna already enlisted four bachelors. I had to step it up- I only have you and Jason down. If you back out, then that leaves me with who else? My dad? Yeah, fat chance he'll enroll in a Rosewoods' Hottest calendar spread. It's for charity! All the proceeds go to-"

Toby coughed. "Wait, shirtless? You didn't say anything about shirtless! Spencer! I polished off half a dozen donuts this morning!"

"Yeah. And you still look like Iron Man. When you're done throwing your little temper tantrum, and you've tried this shirt on, you can come back out and speak to me."

"But I-" Toby narrowed his eyes at the brunette, "Fine."

He pulled the granite red curtains shut after him, but not before giving her one last brooding look of boycott. She could hear him tutting from inside, glowering under his breath as he lifted the shirt over his head. Spencer's eye took interest in a muscle shirt on the rack to the left of her, and she pulled it off before the fashion manager could wheel it into the back. Yanking the curtains open, Spencer waltzed into Toby's fitting room, peeling the shirt from the hanger for him. His muscles instantly greeted her, but Spencer was too busy to notice.

Toby seemed flushed that she'd just barged in on him unannounced, "Spencer!" he spat, yanking the curtains shut, pointing out that he was merely in his boxers, "Excuse you!"

"What?" Spencer cackled, "Its not like there was a doorbell. Plus, how can you knock on fabric? Don't worry, no one saw. You weren't exposed. Now isn't the time to be modest. Alright," she paused, "Take the shirt off. I think we'll do you sans shirt first."

"I'm starting to very much feel like a doll, and I don't like it. I can't believe I ever agreed to this. There are so many other things I could be doing."

"Like what?"

Toby gulped, shifting his eyes, "Oh, um..." he looked at his reflection as he tugged his shirt over his head, "I don't know."

Standing up from the chair she was lounging in, Spencer grabbed the travel-sized bottle of baby oil from the shelf inside the dressing room. Sashaying until she was chest to chest with her boyfriend, she wedged the bottle between them, grabbing his hand to place it in. Her mouth against his, she gave him his next instructions in a sultry tone.

"Don't forget to apply this," she whispered, moving her hands around his chest, "Here," she dragged them down his abs, "Here," around to his arms, where she cupped, "And here."

"What's this for?" he asked back, biting his lip.

"To give you that extra oomf. Or it can help repel the curious hands of any admirers."

"Uh-huh. Why do I get the feeling it's the second reason?"

"Maybe it is."

Lowering his head to rub his nose against hers, Toby made sure their lips were touching, "What about curious hands of girlfriends?"

A familiar voice from outside the fitting room interrupted them, as per always, cuing them that Toby was out next for his shoot. The couple shared a groan, before Spencer peeled herself off of him. Toby reached out for her hand and held it, watching in disappointment as his girlfriend disappeared behind the curtain, their pinky fingers the last to touch. Pulling out his phone from his pocket, he punched in a quick text before readying himself to be mortified in front of the camera.

* * *

Despite his natural timidness, the camera seemed to absolutely love Toby. The photographer could not get enough, and had run over the initial scheduled session with Toby, which resulted in a line of the four other men that were due to have their photographs taken. While he'd been so reserved at first, Toby had warmed up to the photographer, and the poses he was partaking in made Spencer's stomach flip. She was standing behind the monitor next to Aria- who was assisting the photographer- fanning herself, not able to tear her eyes from the shirtless hunk that she called her own.

Other women had flocked around, too, eager to get a peak at Toby's assets. They were hurdled in little groups, whispering and pointing, giggling every time Toby threw a wink their direction. It was suddenly as if Toby was a member of a boy band. Not only had Toby noticed his new following, but Spencer had too. She couldn't blame these girls for salivating over her boyfriend, but at the same time, she couldn't believe the nerve of them. These were the same girls that went to her school, the ones that used to call Toby a murderer, the ones that called him a pervert, the ones that deemed him as disgusting...and now here they were, making extremely risque comments about wanting to touch his abs. Not only was Spencer hot-and bothered, she was royally peeved. And maybe, just maybe, a smidgen of jealousy lingered in her eyes as Toby stepped down from his modeling and headed towards the dressing rooms, the groupies following him with shrieks.

When she witnessed one of the girls invading Toby's personal bubble and trespassing Spencer's proclaimed land, Spencer handed Aria her coffee and stepped over the miles of wires, "That's it!"

Taking a sip of Spencer's coffee, Aria shook her head, "Now I've come to the understanding of why she always confiscates his shirts. That boy should not wear any, ever."

The honey haired photographer agreed. "If she was smart, she'd burn them."

Marching over to Toby and his sea of admirers that were hanging from his neck, Spencer parted the sea with her elbows until she pried three girls from Toby. Unlocking a blonde from Toby's neck, she placed her hands on his hips, turning back to face the drooling women with a warning tone as she gently pushed Toby into the fitting room behind them.

"Alright, break it up, break it up! You are trespassing on private property and we do not accept solicitors. Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of my heels as I bludgeon you all to a pulp! This is me putting up a sign, electric fence around the perimeter, and releasing my snarling, Doberman Pinscher and Boerboel on your plastically enhanced faces! Disperse!"

Toby trotted backwards into the close sized fitting room, watching as he fought back chuckles while Spencer whacked someone's hand. She huffed, blowing a strand of hair away from her face as she drew the curtains shut and secured them. Collecting herself, and peeking to make sure the onlookers had vacated the premises, she slowly turned around to face Toby, her hands behind her back, holding the curtains in fists. When she turned around to face him, she was not the same worry-free Spencer that had dragged him there that morning. Her eyes were intense, like they were ablaze with flames of possession, of passion. Toby barely managed a gulp as Spencer advanced towards him with a scowl. When his back hit the mirror, he knew he started planning an escape route.

She had him pinned against the mirror, the oil that he'd applied making him slippery as her palms reached for his chest area. Pushing down on his shoulders, Toby sank into the chair, grunting.

"I really don't like this," she admitted, "I think I'll ask the photographer to withdraw you from the catalog. I'm not quite sure how I feel about dozens of girls continuously flocking around you at the brew, or stalking you so that they can cop a feel. And I really, really can't fathom the idea of someone bringing their issue of the calendar with your torso on it to bed with them. I don't know what I was thinking."

Escalating his hand up her spine, Toby grinned. "Spencer, this is for charity, remember?"

"Then let them call in Dan the Exterminator, Larry the Fireman, and Buzz the Bagel Maker. Those are true heroic citizens of this bogus town. I'm the only one that should be eyeballing you."

Narrowing his eyes, Toby lifted her chin, a revelation dancing through his eyes. "You're not jealous, are you?"

"What?" Spencer's eyes shot up to his, "Why would...no! No, I'm not...I'm not jealous!"

"Uh-huh," Toby nodded, not so convinced, "Because I could remind you that you have absolutely nothing to be jealous of. I am all yours."

"Okay. Maybe I was just a little jealous."

Mentally, Toby was doing fist pumps and cartwheels at her confession. Just a year ago, the idea of her being this close to him was revolting to her, and to him, admittedly, and now she couldn't seem to get enough of him. She had just stroked his ego. All that cardio and heavy lifting had solidified so much of his plan...shaking his head, he snapped out of his thoughts.

"That means you have something to lose," Toby rasped.

The fear that flashed through Spencer's eyes couldn't be mistaken and it felt like a pinch to his heart.

"I don't want to lose you," her voice shook as she pressed herself closer to him in his lap, her legs wrapping around him, "Especially not to those hormonal kittens. They'd still hate you if you were wearing a shirt. Now they're going to scout you-"

"Spencer," Toby insisted, cupping her face with his large hands, "You're the only one that sees me for who I really am. I would never choose anyone over you. They can scout me all they want; I've already established my loyalties. You never have to worry about my eyes wandering. I only see you."

Pouting, Spencer tickled his neck, "Good. Because you look really hot...and now that I know I'm not the only person that turns into mush at the sight of you, I am so down to engage in any sort of PDA to get the message across that you belong to me."

Before Toby could respond, her lips had collided with his, her mouth pressing against his with force. She'd never kissed him like this, and he had to admit, it was having a huge affect on him. His hands had no control as they traveled across her back, her hips, her neck. Leaning back against the mirror, Spencer aligned her body with his, her hands slipping all over from the oil. The way Toby's lips moved with hers confirmed that she had nothing to worry about. They remained in that room long after the last male had his series of photographs taken, completely lost in one another.


	21. He Can Burn Me Through and Through

**Per request via my lovely ladies- Ana and Tracey. Ya'll are absolutely wonderful and I owe you big time for the prompts! Thanks for the reviews folks! Keep em coming and I'll keep cranking out the chapters :) Viva la spoby. **

** If He's Cool Enough He Can Burn Me Through and Through**

Tugging on a slouchy white blouse to go with her waist high pink shorts and black Zara heels, Spencer gave herself a nod of approval in the mirror. She didn't know why, but she'd been really into pink lately. Her eye shadow gave off a shimmery fairy effect and her lips were that of a light pink rose pedal. There was just something about that color that made her feel alive. Typically, she'd avoid the color, because it was so feminine and everything about her read that she was a bit of a dominant soul, but since she and Toby were dating, he'd seemed to have taken on that role for her- not that she minded. All she knew was that now more than ever, she was so happy. -A was had hit the road like Jack. Mona was isolated in the funny farm. Garrett was behind bars trying not to drop the soap in the shower.

Her classes were to be commencing soon, she'd been conquering every class she'd taken that summer at Hollis- which came as no surprise. She and the girls were closer than ever- with the exception of Emily, who was still gone for the summer. Even her family seemed to be paying closer mind to her. Everything seemed perfect.

Tending to her wrap-around braid, Spencer curled a few stray pieces quickly. She was just putting in her last earring when her phone jingled from her desk, Toby's adorable face flashing on the screen. A goofy smile gracing her seemingly flawless face, Spencer tried to maintain some of her grace as she went skipping down the steps. Yes. Skipping. Spencer Hastings was skipping. Spencer Hastings was skipping and wearing pink. Willingly. It was as if suddenly she was a modern day Julie Andrews. If there had been an empty field nearby, she probably would have partaken in a ridiculous twirl routine.

_'God_,' she thought to herself as she locked the side door behind her, '_What's next for you woman? Joining the cheerleading squad? Doodling Mrs. Cavanaugh on your AP notebooks? Singing love songs with forest animals?_'

A burst of excitement surged through her body at the thought of someday having the honor of taking his last name. Spencer palmed herself as she rounded the corner to the driveway she and her family shared with Jason.

"What has gotten into you?" she hissed to herself. '_Hopefully Toby soon,_' her brain answered back.

"Oh!," she gasped in realization, stopping when she reached the front gate, "I'm turning into Hanna. Toby Cavanaugh, what are you doing to me?"

"I believe, Miss Hastings, I am taking you out on a date," Toby answered her, smiling that adorable smile of his.

Whipping out a single rose from behind his leather jacket, he held it out to her. As soon as her fingers were wrapped around it, he drew her into him, his eyes rising and falling as he appraised her outfit selection; her miles and miles of legs the most appealing part.

"You look incredible," he stated, as if it was not an opinion, but a fact.

Her cheeks were already pink from her blush, but now they were riding on the border of flamingo pink. Ski lifting up from Toby's boots, to his ripped jeans, to his wife beater and black leather jacket, Spencer's eyes hit the brakes when they came to his perfectly plump lips.

"You don't look half bad yourself. If I had known you were going for the cool rider look I would have ditched my Sandy Olsen pink-lady look and channeled Stephanie Zinone," she looked over his shoulder, "Where's your truck parked?"

"What? Why? What happened? Did someone sever your brake lines again?"

"Spencer," Toby chuckled, gripping her elbows, "It's just in for routine maintenance. I wanted to get some custom detailing in before summer wraps and my paychecks shrink."

"Oh. So we'll just take my ca-"

"Actually, I brought my bike. I was hoping we could take it for a spin, maybe have a picnic up at our sanctuary, followed by some cuddling under the stars."

Toby had just pitched the most romantic idea at her and all Spencer could do was swing away at it with an imaginary baseball bat, her eyes wild with fright.

"No! Absolutely not. Were you hoping to kill me too? Because I just envision it now; I hop on and wrap my arms around you in your bad-ass helmet and it's all grins, giggles, and groping until a sixteen-wheeler comes chugging around the mountain like Final Destination with logs of death and then our brains are getting scrapped up from the concrete, made into a cannibal burger and we end up on the next Driver's Ed video."

Stroking her chin, Toby shook his head, "You'd be the one with the helmet, so it would only be my brains being scrapped off the concrete and shipped to the cannibals. I'm a very careful operator, plus I would never let you get so much as a paper-cut while in my care. I swear I'll drive like I've got a baby strapped onto the seat. You're precious cargo, Spence."

Folding her arms and pushing him away, Spencer indicated with her head that she wasn't so convinced, "I refuse to get onto a bike with anyone that would clip a baby to the back of it. The answer is no. Plain and simple."

Toby sighed, "Spence."

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not going to cave. I am putting my foot down and I am anchoring my heels into the dirt. I will handcuff myself to my front door if I must, but Toby there is not a chance in hell I am getting on that...that...that_ thing_!"

"Hey, hey, that _thing _is my baby!"

Giggling, Spencer wrapped her arms around his waist, "I thought your truck was your baby?"

"Oh, it is, but this bike is the firstborn of my babies."

Spencer began playing with the zipper of his jacket, pouting dramatically. "I thought _I _was your baby."

Capturing his helmet from the seat of his motorcycle, Toby attempted to lower it onto her head, but Spencer was quick on her toes, sinking backwards, her arms putting more distance between them.

Toby growled, walking after her as she circled backwards around his bike like they were in _The Fox and the Hound_.

"You are my baby, but you're the last born, so that means you get a vast majority of my undivided attention and I spoil you regularly."

"You know you're not supposed to show favoritism with your children, Toby. It causes conflict."

"Says she who is currently causing conflict by not getting onto the back of my bike with me so I can whisk you off to a romantic night under the stars. Come on, Spence. You trust me, don't you?"

Sulking, Spencer placed her palms flat on the seat of his bike, the bike acting as a barricade between them as he stood on the other side. Her tone was playful, seductive almost as he lowered himself into an identical position, their hands teasing like waves playing tag with the shore. They begun a staring contest- one they'd engaged in numerous amounts of time over the summer- ones that usually resulted in her taking home the trophy.

"It's really not fair of you to use that line on me. Maybe you didn't hear me the first time. Let me repeat myself: there is no way I am getting on this bike. There is nothing you can say or do that can convince me otherwi-"

In one skillful display of coordination, Toby had grabbed at the back of her head and slammed his lips against hers. He kissed her roughly, letting his tongue do most of the convincing. Though initially taken by surprise and resistant of his sudden dominance, every fiber of Spencer's being softened and her mouth began to cooperate against his solicitations. After just a short moment she was chomping at the bit- drinking him in, not able to quench her thirst; as if she was dehydrated. Toby felt her grow limp in her reservations and return the passion and took her bottom lip between his teeth, towing it until he heard her moan softly.

"Damn," she panted once she'd regained some of her composure.

He was circling around the bike now with a cocky expression, stepping behind her. She felt his palms brush up her arms before he lowered the helmet onto her head, rotating her to face him. "You were saying?"

"Well, before I was so rudely interrupted by your sudden urge to broadcast how much of a Mufasa of Priderock you truly are, I was informing you that I was declining your offer for safety purposes. However, you are quite the salesman and I am now throwing in the towel as I chant a very long string of profanities at you mentally."

Toby laughed at his girlfriend, patting her shoulder, straddling his seat. He twisted so he could take her hand and help her get on, guiding her arms around his torso, "Hang on."

When he felt her legs wrap around him too, he craned his neck to look back at her, dismounting the kick stand and revving his engine. "What are you doing?"

"You said to hang on. Think of it as a double buckle. This way if I fall off, you're going to fall off with me."

"Spencer, you're not going to fall off. I would never let you."

He couldn't see through the thick dark helmet, but Spencer was sticking her tongue out at him childishly. Giving the bike a little gas, he directed them in their journey up to their sacred hill that overlooked Rosewood. Spencer's death grip around him tensed and even over the rumbling of his engine, he could hear her scream.

"I'm going to die a virgin! We're going to die! We're going to die!"

"We are not going to die!" he hollered back, unable to keep from cracking up over her hysteria. She could be so dramatic sometimes.

As they approached their infamous home-away-from-home rendezvous point, Spencer began doubting the ability of his bike to ease up the steep hill. She could just envision them rolling over and getting flattened like cookie dough.

"Are you sure this thing can make it up?"

Toby squeezed her arm, coming to a brief stop. Turning, he pulled off her helmet, fastening it behind her onto the picnic basket, "Positive. Just think of it as the Little Engine that could. Here. We're almost there anyways and I promise I won't crash. You should feel the wind in your hair. Just trust me. You'll love it."

Thanking the stars that she hadn't selected a skirt from her wardrobe, Spencer's eased off of the squeeze she had around her boyfriend's torso. Her eyes closing, she did as Toby instructed, letting the gentle summer breeze caress her locks. As he blazed up the hill she had to admit- though only silently- that she found this to be pleasant. There was such a thrill feeling the wind so raw on her face, the vibrating of the engine under her thighs, the softness of Toby's jacket against her nose.

Pressing her face against his back, she left a kiss there, inhaling his aftershave. Moving upwards, she left a lingering kiss against the area between his hair and collar, causing him to visually tremble. Letting her chin seek solace in the crook of his neck, she peppered the patch of skin there with more kisses. Finally up the hill and balancing his bike, Toby tangled his fingers through her hair, relishing in the moment. When the kisses stopped and she hugged him tightly, as if she was trying to transfer all her love onto him, he squeezed her hands.

"Thank you,'' she whispered almost inaudibly into his jacket.

Removing himself from the bike and helping her up, Toby pulled her in for an embrace, rocking them back and forth, "I haven't done anything yet. We've still got our picnic."

"Yes do more than you know by just being you," she insisted, shivering as the wind teased her legs and neck.

Deciding not to question her, Toby rubbed her back, before supplying her with his jacket, draping it around her shoulders and holding it out for her as she tucked her arms into the sleeves. He pulled her hair out for her and smoothed it down, bringing his lips to the crease on her forehead.

"Now you're officially a T-bird."

"Thanks, Danny Zuko. I feel like we've traveled back to the 1950's and you're going to pin me and tell me I'm your girl now."

Familiarizing himself with his surroundings, Toby kept his hands at her waist, pushing her backwards against a tree.

Spencer gasped against the bark, wondering what had come over Toby tonight. He was friskier than usual. Not that she had any complaints. She was enjoying this new playful side of him very much.

"What are you doing?" she gasped.

"Pinning you," he retorted sarcastically, bringing one hand up to cradle her jaw, his thumb rubbing patterns on her earlobe.

"I wasn't suggesting you literally pin me against something. Haven't you ever watched a 50's movie? The boys give the girls their Letterman jackets and the girls wear a "back off I'm taken" love anklet when they decide to go steady."

"I'm sorry, I forgot to brush up on the 1950's dating rituals which revolved around milkshakes and jukeboxes before I planned out our date."

"I mean it's not really proper dating etiquette to just pin a girl against a tree-"

Pushing her even farther into the tree, Toby smiled down at her, "Spencer. Shut up."

"Okay, that is _definitely_ not proper dating etti-"

Her words were stifled by a low moan as Toby's mouth occupied hers. Their lips danced together passionately, with more and more urgency being conveyed as her fingers coiled through his hair. Toby hoisted her up against the tree, magnifying the lip lock they were engaged in. The whimpers that evacuated against his tongue sent him on overdrive. The picnic he'd prepared was no longer a priority and neither was her curfew that her parents recently enforced after she and Toby had fallen asleep at his loft watching a movie a few nights ago and she hadn't reported home until the next afternoon wearing his clothes. It had been a completely innocent incident, but enough to cause suspicion from her otherwise overlooking family.

The leather of his jacket squeaked as Spencer desperately searched for something to hold onto, her nails digging into his bare shoulders. Toby winced, snapping out of his love-sick trance. She was still nibbling on his bottom lip when he opened his eyes and began slowing the kiss down. Removing his lips from hers, he supplied her with a soft kiss against her now lips, lowering her slowly back to the ground. He waited until she was stable in her heels and back down to Earth before he let go.

"Wow," was the only word Spencer could manage, her hands cuffed around his biceps as she waited for her head to stop spinning, "You sure know how to pin a girl."

Smiling lovingly, Toby took her hand in his, "You ready for our picnic now, Miss Spontaneous Debate?"

"I think I'm ready to conquer the world after that kiss."

Mentally fist pumping over the dreamy expression his girlfriend was wearing, Toby set up their picnic, seating them on a blanket as he dished out his gourmet meal: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fresh fruit, and oatmeal cookies.

Once they'd experienced the fine dining of their improved hill-top restaurant, Toby packed up their leftovers and joined Spencer back on the blanket where she was sprawled out on her back, admiring the stars. He positioned his body so that they were lying in an L-shape, his head in her lap as he too enjoyed the beauty projecting down on them. The stars reflecting off his irises, giving his baby blues an extra twinkle, Spencer sat up, keeping Toby's head in her lap. Playing with his hair, she reclined a bit, balancing with her free palm down on the blanket.

"Oh," she sighed, "I don't want summer to end. I don't want_ this_ to end. For the first time in a year everything is perfect. It's like all the planets are finally aligned and once Senior year kicks off there'll be this huge meteor shower."

"It doesn't have to end, you know," her boyfriend mumbled, "Spending time with you this summer has been amazing. We could run away together. We could go somewhere where there are beaches and summer lasts longer than three months. Somewhere where we can have moments like this every night, where no one would find us."

Affectionately stroking the side of his face with the back of her knuckles, Spencer bent over to kiss his forehead, "I'd love that. Maybe someday."

Their hands lacing together, both looked back up at the stars, wishing with all their might that someday that maybe would turn into a definitely and that the someday Spencer promised would be soon.

* * *

**If any of you guys are at all interested in voicing your protest against them basically demolishing Spencer and Toby on the show, I invite you to take part in our weekly missions. These can be found on tumblr on the following page: **

**fortheluvofspoby dot tumblr dot com **

**They are a great way to connect with other fans, not to mention, a ton of fun! If you want more information, you can shoot me a DM or just visit the tumblr address listed above.**

**Hopefully you guys were able to catch on to the little references in this chapter. If not, I suggest you watch the movies Grease 1 and 2. :) **

**Love to you all for everything. xo. Thank you to the sweet anon who mentioned the link was not showing up- hope you guys can view it now. **


	22. Total Request Spoby? AN

_Hey sweet, beautiful, Spoby shipping readers and reviewers. I am currently caught up in preparing for two gigantic exams that are of extreme importance, hence the reason why this story has not been updated in a while. However, come next week, I am hoping to be posting more because those monsters will be out of my way :) _

_That said, I do have a handful of requests, but I'm once again opening the door (and my private messages) for prompts. If you have anything you want to see that fits along with the pre-season 3A storyline (So someone getting pregnant would not fit), send your requests my way. Think of this as TRS: Total Request Spoby. If it is appropriate with what I've created here, I'll do my best to make sure it gets inserted in this story. Sound good? _

_Your patience is appreciated as is your feedback and I value it very much._

_Talk to you all soon! Keep you eyes open- a new chapter will be up within the next few days. xo._


	23. Suits You Well

**Got a prompt and here it is. Thank you, Siretha! I know many of you have been requesting steamy Spoby, so I hope you are satisfied after this chapter. (: Loving all your reviews! If you've sent in a request, please now I am doing them in the order they are received, so hang tight!**

**_Suits You Well_**

"Well, well, well, look at you."

Spencer looked up from the cases she was alphabetizing at her stationary desk, her jaw cliff diving at her unforeseen visitor.

"T-Toby! What are you doing here? And how did you even locate me? Have you managed to discreetly lodge a tracking apparatus onto me during one of our leisurely homework interludes?"

"Spence, it's a small town; you're not that hard to find. Actually, Emily told me you'd be here today. How come you didn't tell me you got an internship?"

"I didn't want to give you more wood to concoct a soapbox to stand on over how I'm overloading my plate. Although, this particular 24 hour internship did come hand in hand with my class. I just neglected to read the fine print when I enrolled. Do you not have your own job to be at right now?"

As she stood up to start flicking through the file cabinet behind the desk, she tucked some hair behind her ear, a bit annoyed at her boyfriend's unannounced drop in. She was over her head in paperwork right now...who was she kidding? She was bored to bits, but she'd never admit it. She'd been eyeing the clock for three hours now, counting down until five o'clock. Had she'd not been caught, she would have started tacking away bars like they did in prison cells under the espresso desk. She'd asked for more work from her mother's receptionist at the firm, and she'd received it. It was a workload that would take any normal person at least two days to go through, but Spencer had organized everything within an hour. She'd been contemplating doing janitorial tasks to keep busy when Toby barged in, leaning very sexily against the door frame. She was sure it was unintentional; that boy was just naturally alluring all the time. But she knew if she let him stay, she would only get distracted. Plus, her mother was notorious for spur of the moment barging.

"You know, the only reason we get into that disquisition is because you're going to wind up hospitalized over all the stress you put on your shoulders and I am your concerned boyfriend. To answer your second series question, I do, but we finished up for the day. The elementary school now has a newly functional auditorium. Humpty Dumpty will have no more great falls through the rotten wood on stage. Besides," Toby pushed himself forward, running a hand over his mouth as his eyes zoomed in on Spencer's backside, "I missed my beautiful girlfriend."

Spencer was thankful she was facing the opposite direction, because she could feel the heat gather around her cheekbones. She rummaged through another drawer. That love-sick smile she'd been attempting to keep below the surface was now creeping in for a cameo. Heavy with playfulness, she scolded Toby.

"Oh? And a simple text saying that wouldn't suffice? You're due to take me to dinner later anyways. Or did you forget?"

"How could I forget? I've been looking forward to it since I woke up this morning."

Toby moved forward again, taking a seat on the spinning computer chair and facing her backside. "I just couldn't wait to see you. Plus, I thought maybe you'd like a lunch break."

"What if I already ate?" she teased.

Toby grinned. "Spencer, I know for a fact that you don't eat before noon, just like you refuse to eat anything after 7:30. You're hungry."

"Well, I can't very well abandon the office right now, Toby. My mom wouldn't get the memo if it was sticky-tagged to her computer screen and the entire office is out for lunch break. They wouldn't know where I wandered off to. I'm supposed to stay here in case any clients come in. While I'm playing guard dog, I have things to do. Papers to file. Drawers to..." she slammed her fist against a stubborn drawer, "Organize...God, I need the Jars of Life to get this thing open!"

Toby rolled the chair closer to her, baiting it open with ease, "Open Sesame."

"Or that works, too. Show off."

"I had to rescue my Damsel in distress. Spencer, you don't have to abnegate your duties...I brought your lunch to you."

"Lower your ego there, Hercules. This Megara is fiercely indepen-" Spencer's eyes lit up, "You did?"

"Uh-huh."

Spinning her around by her waist, Toby took her hands in his and wheeled backwards until the back of the chair bumped the desk. He reacted to her bashful smile by reflecting a more confident one, his lower lip tucked under his teeth as he eyeballed her ensemble. Her acres of legs were accented by a form fitting ribbed Bodycon black skirt. This lead up to her tucked in white-laced top that came to a V at the neck. The cropped turquoise blazer she was wearing complimented his eyes, and it was easily his favorite color he'd seen on her yet. The laced pumps she was fashionably sporting looked painful, but rounded her assets perfectly. Combined with her large, side spiraled curls that flirted with her neck, Toby was completely mesmerized. She was like this sought after secretary in the magazines and suddenly Toby's hands had a mind of their own.

"You look..." Toby started, shaking his head, his tongue tracing his lips in support of her fashion sense, "Wow."

"Wow?" Spencer mimicked, surveying her outfit, "Like, Wow-you-look-very-professional-but-uptight or wow-please-lose-the-suit?"

Toby pulled at her hips, grinning wider when her hands landed on his shoulder tops. "Oh, I like the suit, but I'm all for it coming off."

"Hmm. Have you been drinking?"

"The only thing I'm drinking in right now is your beauty. You look so sexy."

"Oh? I do? Thank you."

Toby nodded, "Unbelievably. Please tell me you'll be wearing this to dinner tonight."

"I hadn't really decided yet..."

Toby eyed her suspiciously. Spencer sighed. Toby knew her too well. She'd coordinated everything down to the earrings she'd be wearing.

"Okay, so I coordinated the dress and shoes last night, but if you really like this outfit, I don't see why I can't just reserve the other one for another time."

"You know if you're really that conflicted, you can just go naked. But then we wouldn't be going out to eat, we'd be ordering in. And in that case, the food would remain forgotten on the counter."

Slapping his chest, but unable to hold back a laugh, Spencer leaned in to properly greet her blue eyed sweetheart. Toby was unwilling to break the kiss within the next century, pulling Spencer down to sit side-saddle on his lap. Twisting her neck, Spencer locked her arms around his, pressing her lips a bit firmer against Toby's. It was awfully sweet of him to bring her lunch - the least she could do was pay him some mind.

The chair squeaked underneath their combined weight as Toby smoothed his palms up the length of her legs, beginning with her ankles and ending at the hem of her skirt. He gave her waist a quick squeeze, earning him more access to her mouth as she gasped in surprise. Spencer never thought the boy she'd taught French would be engrossed in French kissing her almost a year later- or that she'd enjoy it immensely. Latching onto the collar of his beat up shirt, Spencer grabbed it into small fists, playing duck, duck, goose with his collarbone.

Her fingers sailing across the back of his ears before cupping his face, she tilted her head back to allow him to travel to his favorite destination; her neck. His little pecks grew into open-mouthed kisses, followed by licks and nibbles.

* * *

The world around them had seemingly stopped as the clock ticked on. Still, Toby had no intentions of slowing down anytime soon.

"T-Toby...Toby, Toby...we...we can't...not here...a client could walk in any moment...or my mother, I don't know if you've ever had the pleasure of meeting her, but she seems to have an alarm that goes off to charge in whenever our lips are touching."

Her breath coming out in little puffs of pleasure as Toby anchored his teeth into her neck, Spencer clenched his hair in her fists, losing her willpower to argue with him. Still, she fought on verbally, though her physical reactions were urging him to press on.

"And I..." Spencer groaned at the feeling of his warm tongue against her skin, "Cannot do anything to jeopardize my completion of this internship, because I could end up with an A- or a B and that's just not acceptable...ooooh," she whimpered, "Are you even listening to me?"

"Spencer," Toby murmured against her pulse, "No one is going to burst in. Your mom took out the entire office to The Melting Pot. It's going to be awhile. Besides," he placed lips back on the mark he'd been crafting, "I locked the doors."

"She took them all out to eat and I didn't get an invitation? What kind of injustice is this?"

Moaning as she could feel suction on her neck, Spencer let her hands trail down Toby's chest, before suddenly remembering the last part of his confession.

"Wait! You did what? Toby!"

She hopped down from the desk, though with some struggle due to the mobile restrictions her dress posed, half galloping in her heels over to the door. Toby caught up with her tiny strides with four short steps.

Wedging himself between a breathless Spencer and the door, Toby shut it behind him.

"You're not going anywhere," he growled. He turned the lock, a resounding click vibrating through the vaulted office.

"What are you doing?" Spencer gulped, feeling a sudden drop in the atmosphere as Toby backed her towards the desk again.

There was something foreign about his eyes, his face void of the playful flirting they'd been tossing back and forth only a few heartbeats before. Suddenly she was desperate to put a barricade between them: the trash can, one of the chairs, a piece of paper..._Oh yeah, a piece of paper, Spencer. A whole lot of good that will do!_

Toby chucked them all into oblivion, smirking as he crumbled the paper up and tossed it over his shoulder. It landed like a basketball into the waste bin and Spencer gulped once more, pointing at his blind showcase of coordination.

"Nice shot."

"That's not what I'm aiming for."

Grabbing her roughly by the elbows, he pulled her sinking frame into his. She attempted to resist his advances at first, but was weakened by the smell of his cologne, as well as his Superman strength.

The otherwise inconspicuous summer humidity the firm was facing due to the air conditioning crapping out was suddenly unbearable. It was as if someone had opened the door to an oven; the heat swirling around Spencer seductively before drawing sweat from her goose-bumped skin. It was a strange feeling: to be so hot and still have goosebumps. Yet, with Toby, it was pretty common. The summer heat had been getting to them both lately; their hormones all out of whack. Every conversation she'd had with Toby about waiting to sleep together at that point was melting away, much like Spencer's defenses. More and more transpired every time they were alone or given an ounce of the privacy they were normally deprived of. Of course, these rare moments were often interrupted by the universe, and primarily Mrs. Hastings- hence the Discarded Toby T-shirt collection in Spencer's room.

Even though waiting for that right moment was important to Spencer, there was always that devil on her shoulder egging her on; telling her to hop the fence, to dip her toe in the water. She knew that if you played with flames, you'd only get burnt; but there was something so captivating about those flames that made them impossible to resist. And today? Today Spencer wanted to turn off her spastic, logical tendencies. She wanted to touch the flames. She wanted to dance in the flames. She wanted to-

Toby's hands surfing across her toned arms as he tossed aside her blazer brought her out of her glazed state.

"Wait!" Spencer cried.

She could see Toby's frustration flash across his face, but it was instantly replaced with his classic lip-tight smirk when she extended her request.

Biting her lip, Spencer pushed against his arms, "Close the curtains?"

Spencer despised the word swag, but in that exact moment, that was the only word she could use to give Toby's movements justice. He was like a cat chasing a mouse; and she was the mouse. The way his sculpted shoulder blades shifted when he walked made Spencer bite down on her lip to keep from whistling at him.

As Toby turned back around, a naughty expression on his now dimly lit face, Spencer slowly released her lip from her teeth. Kicking off her heels- they'd been giving her blisters anyways- Spencer ran a perfectly pointed foot up her opposite leg, using her palms as balance as she leaned back slightly on the desk Toby had hoisted her onto, her chest sticking out. Toby didn't exactly flee to her and kiss her until she was light-headed, but he was cat walking back in her direction; slowly and deliberately. Spencer was quickly morphing into silly putty, the hairs on the back of her neck doing headstands.

"This has to stop. You know, if I'm going to participate in your game, you're going to have to abide by my rules: take off your shirt before you come any closer and we can resume where we left off."

Pulling his ratted red shirt over his head, Toby let it cascade to the carpet. Across from him, Spencer's eyes moved in appreciative sweeps across his infamous features at his core.

"You can proceed."

Despite the restrictions of her figure-hugging skirt, Toby managed to step in between her legs. He hiked her skirt up slightly, moving his fingers up to tug on her laced top. Spencer eagerly shed it, watching him hypnotically as he scanned her upper body. He tickled her ribcage and Spencer copied his actions; dragging her finger tips up and down the ripples on his sides.

Toby's left hand coming around to cup her skull, he gave her hair there a swift pull, making Spencer gasp. Their lips brushing together, he lowered his hand down her spine, her back arching in response. There was this overpowering need to kiss, and he granted it, their kisses slow, but steamy. His hands switched gears, one landing with a thunk on the desk to keep him from toppling over on her, the other flirting with the front of Spencer's midnight tinted bra. Their heads bobbed like bouyes in the ocean. Spencer moaned into his mouth, breaking the kiss in fear she'd pass out.

She settled for sprinkling open-mouthed kisses along Toby's chest, leading up to the lump on his neck. Sucking on the skin there, she bit back a smile when she heard him groan- and loudly. That cocky smile was replaced by an exhale as Toby's hands pioneered into new territory. Pulling down her tights, he pushed her back onto the desk some more to make his task easier. Spencer was oddly okay with his bold move. His hands roaming up and down her free legs was driving her insane.

Her eyes jolting open for a moment as Toby's fingers escalated, brushing against her inner thigh, Spencer caught the time on the clock above the door. 12:53. Her mother and her colleagues would be returning any minute. She knew she should put a halt to this, at least press pause and resume later on for Toby's sake, but part of the thrill was the chance that they could get caught. Biting down deeper on Toby's neck, Spencer tuned out the approaching voices outside the window.

When she heard the front door being unlocked- of course her mother would have a key- that exhilarating feeling was gone. It sunk to the pit of her stomach. She loved Toby and she was quite enjoying herself- and seeing him so worked up- but she also loved her grades. She could not risk being caught like a deer in the headlights and flunking her short stay at the firm.

Always on the same page, though not a happy camper about it, Toby pulled back to look at her wide eyed, silently asking what they were going to do to cover their tracks- though speaking of tracks, there was little hope for the ones Spencer had created on his collarbone. Looking around desperately, she pointed to Toby's shirt. He dashed over and threw it over his head, not even noticing that it was inside out and backwards. Spencer didn't notice either. She was too busy trying to compose herself, and that included putting her blazer back on and smoothing out the wrinkles. Sliding off the desk, she put her heels back onto her throbbing feet and dug into the bag Toby had brought her, spreading out the assortment of food he'd prepared on the desk.

"Gooooo," she hissed at Toby, "I'll call you later."

Rolling his eyes, Toby bent down to kiss her goodbye, "You're welcome, by the way. For the lunch."

Spencer was shooing him out, taking her seat back behind the desk, "Yes, okay, great, thank you, Toby."

As he opened the door, she made sure to add volume to her voice, sounding very much scripted. "It was so nice to see you. Thank you for dropping by to bring me lunch! I'll tell my mother you said hello!"

Toby shot her a goofy smile over his shoulder, adding in a wink- Spencer assumed it was solely to torture the butterflies in her stomach.

Exiting, she heard him mutter a "You're welcome," before a polite, "Oh, hello, Mrs. Hastings. See you later. I just stopped by to bring Spencer her lunch. Gotta head out."

Digging her teeth into the green apple for show, Spencer waved at her mother as she entered the office, a to-go box in hand.

"Oh," Spencer said as she swallowed, "Did you bring me something?"

Veronica laughed, storing the box in the miniature fridge, "No. But it looks like Toby did. That boy is very thoughtful, Spencer."

Watching as her mother retreated into the subdivision of the office, Spencer exhaled. Now that she could relax, she dug into her avocado turkey sandwich, truly thankful Toby had brought her food seeing as her own mother would let her starve. Her serene satisfaction was short lived, however.

Trotting out of her office Veronica opened the drawer behind Spencer, pausing.

"Spencer? Do you have any idea where these came from?"

Spencer just about choked on her bite as her eyes landed in horror at the object in Veronica's hands.

Her tights.

Toby had thrown them and she'd forgotten about their existence completely.

Shaking her head quickly, Spencer coughed.

"What? No, no idea! That's so weird. Must have been the temp you had before me. This isn't a changing room; it's a professional business facility! If I were you I'd handle those with tongs. Who knows where they've been. Here," Spencer confiscated them, "I'll dispose of them for you."

She threw a file into her mother's arms, "All set."

"You're right. I don't see how we could return them to the temp either, I tore them trying to fish them out. They got caught in between the drawers. Thanks sweetie!"

Glancing back down at her tights, sure enough, they were ripped down the knees. Groaning, Spencer's head landed on the desk.

She was absolutely sure of two things:

1. She was in desperate need of new tights.

2. She'd trade her current shoes for the spiked heels Aria had borrowed her to play footsie under the dinner table with Toby tonight.

"Oh hey, Spencer?" her mother called.

Spencer shot up, "Yes?"

"You may want to let Toby know that he has his shirt on backwards."

Shooting her mother a nod, "His um...power was out this morning. I think he dressed in the dark," Spencer composed an angry text to her boyfriend.

A rush of adrenaline was not worth developing ulcers.


	24. Mall Mayhem

**_Did someone ask for more Jealous! Spencer? And a trip to the mall? If interested...read on. ;)_**

**_Mall Mayhem _**

"Spence," Toby groused, loosening his hand around hers as Spencer marched them into the next store, "Is this really necessary? Remind me again why we're here when we could be back at my place continuing what we started this morning."

Spencer tugged on his arm, whisking him to the men's section of the shop, her french braids bouncing with each step she took towards a single rail clothing rack vined with various shirts. Flicking a lock of hair over her shoulder, her hand plunged into the depths of designer shirts, before randomly selecting one like a claw machine in an arcade. Unfortunately for Toby, her "claw" was sturdy enough to keep the object she'd fished for and she was holding it up to his chest, her head tilted to the side. Her lips pursed together, Spencer bit the inside of her cheek, no doubt running through her checklist of mandatory features.

Toby inhaled, sucking in his breath. _Please not this shirt...please not this shirt...anything but this shirt._

To his relief, Spencer wasn't too fond of it either. She hummed and placed it back in the bookmarked area she'd borrowed it from, before once again reaching for his hand and forcing him to follow her around the endless retail labyrinth.

"We are here because you're always complaining that your shirts always mysteriously wind up missing in action and I decided to intercede."

Toby rolled his eyes. "Mysteriously, huh? Not missing in action, missing after the action...I'm down to seven shirts. That's enough to get me through a week. I already live paycheck to paycheck, now I have to live ratted shirt to ratted shirt? If you're going to kidnap my wardrobe, at least post a ransom."

Spencer poked at his nose, "Well, then I guess you'll have to put me on America's Most Wanted because I refuse to hand them over. Just consider this my I.O.U."

Snaking his arms around her waist, Toby pressed his chin onto her shoulder as she hunted for another shirt, the hangers screeching like nails on a chalk board as they moved against the metal. Descending so that his lips were against his ear, he licked them, grinning as he felt Spencer quiver in his envelopment.

"You could just supply me with a collateral," he suggested softly, "You know, to secure that you fully intend on repaying your debts."

Beaming, Spencer selected a baby blue shirt and threw it into Toby's arms, piling on another in a different size just to be safe. "What kind of collateral do you propose?"

As he followed her to the folding table to grab a few additional shirts, which Spencer also piled up in his arms, Toby raise a brow suggestively. Spencer began pushing him into the closest fitting room, but he came to a halt just in front of it, smiling flirtatiously down at his chestnut haired dame.

"You could just start lending me your shirts. I think it's only fair that if you take mine, I take yours. I'm all about equality, aren't you? Compensation for my loss."

"I think you're all about pushing your luck," Spencer snorted.

Waiting for him to change, she tapped her feet anxiously, checking her watch.

Not that she minded the least, but she'd been with Toby all morning. They had been holed up in his loft watching marathons of _I Love Lucy_ and stuffing their faces with a cornucopia of pastries Toby had scored free of charge. When her legs started to telegram the feeling of pins and needles known medically as paresthsia- but to everyone else as a body part falling asleep, Spencer begged Toby to let them go out for some fresh air so she could restore the blood flow to her seemingly dead weight limbs.

Once they had arrived at the mall, they stopped at the food-court to grab a light lunch, followed by Toby cutely insisting they take some pictures in the ever cliche photo-booth like a real couple. Lately he'd been so into preserving their memories with photographs- from the time they would wake up, to catching her in surprise, to silly pictures when they had nothing better to do, to romantic pictures that Spencer had vowed previous to falling in love with Toby would never be taken, let alone published anywhere. Now her Instagram was like a Toby collage, and his reflected so much of her that Hanna teased they should start a fan site for each other.

In addition to the need to take pictures constantly, Toby was growing increasingly dependent of her company. Sometimes Spencer wondered if their separation after he broke his arm was behind his reasoning; like he wanted to make up for lost time. She really didn't mind, and if she could, she'd just move in with Toby, but she knew that if they went on like this it could be unhealthy. Plus, she desperately needed some girl time with her leading ladies and she promised Aria a movie later on that afternoon.

Hollering to her boyfriend that she was on a mission to sic out some new adoptees to complete his shirt family, Spencer bounced around the shop, gathering more than what she could carry. With the assistance of a sales associate, she managed to toss them in chunks over the door to Toby's fitting room.

"You've got to be kidding me! There's more?"

"You'll thank me later when you make Rosewood's Best Dressed, Toby."

Finally, Toby had rotated a few of the shirts, displaying the ones he agreed on for Spencer's last check of approval, before changing back into his original t-shirt he'd arrived in. They were headed for the registers when Spencer spotted a stadium gray, button up American Rag shirt that she thought would compliment Toby's oceanic eyes.

Throwing his head back in defeat, Toby slid across the floor, his arms crossed, "I don't see how you girls can endure this for extended periods of time. It's absolute torture."

"What? This isn't how _you_ shop?" Spencer asked, taking the shirt off of the hanger and unbuttoning it.

Toby leaned against a fixture, "No. We just grab and go. We have tunnel vision. Your species sees something shiny and they turn into Dory from Finding Nemo."

"Oh, my species, huh? I'll remember that next time you request the company of my species because you're lonely."

"Did I say species? I meant gender."

"That's what I thought," Spencer scolded playfully, "Here."

Toby eyed her confused, "What?"

Spencer waved it around in front of him, "Try it on!"

"Wh-what? Right here? Spencer!"

"Oh, come on. Stop being so modest. If I could just shed my shirt to try something on in exchange for having to wait for a fitting room, I would. Let me live vicariously through your anatomy for two minutes. Just try it on."

His eyes doing a loop around, Toby set his pile of clothing down onto the closest shelf, pulling his t-shirt up and over his head. He handed it to Spencer, reaching for her nominated shirt. Once he had his arms through, she tucked his stripped shirt under an arm, closing the distance between them to tuck down the collar and button the shirt for him. She had it buttoned completely before he could object to her babying him, and by her smile she could tell that this was a winner.

"Yep. This one has my definite stamp of approval," Spencer chimed in.

Unbuttoning the shirt, Toby extended his arms. Bringing her into him, Toby smiled adoringly at Spencer, butting her forehead with his gently.

"Are we done shopping for _your_ shirts now?"

Spencer nodded against him in confirmation, a bashful smile lighting up her face. "Yes," she said in a pout, "I'm putting in my resignation of your personal stylist for the day. We'll get you rung up and then jet. You've been a very good sport."

"Does that mean I'll get my Scooby snack?"

Sliding the sleeves down his shoulders, Spencer dug her nails into his back, trailing down before she folded his new shirt over her arm and stood on her tip toes for a kiss.

Their noses barely touched when a shrill squeal was heard from behind her at the registers. Her lips still positioned for a smooch, Spencer whipped her head around to find the source, gasping when she realized that the culprit was heading their way with a pointed finger.

With the ambitious teenager targeting in on Toby like a torpedo, Spencer was cast aside as the girl's army of droids caught on to the excitement.

"Oh my God!" cried a blonde with pink ends, "You're Mr. December! I wish Santa would put you under my tree...but I don't think it'll happen...I've been so naughty this year."

Toby's cheeks were instantly darkened as the girls cornered him against a hat fixture, "Oh I uh..."

Another girl with a raven bob whipped out a piece of paper, "Can I have your autograph?"

The girl beside her with over-sized glasses nodded enthusiastically, fanning her face, "Can I have your babies?"

Pretty soon more girls had gathered, thanks to text messaging and tweets, and Toby had disappeared into a crowd of women offering him a reserved space in their beds and access to body parts that made Spencer sick to her stomach. Handing the clerk her credit card, Spencer yanked the bags off of the counter, pushing herself through the crowd to perform a search and rescue. She resorted to using the bags as weapons, taking on the role of a shield as she reached Toby. He looked a mixture between flattered and frightened, but Spencer had seen enough of this show.

Whistling, she waved a hand in the air in an attempt to gain the chanting ladies' attention.

"Alright, listen up! If he gives any more John Hancock's he'll be short a hand. That's a wrap!"

Toby leaned down, blowing a kiss to one of the girls, "Oh, c'mon, Spence. Just a few more. Right girls?"

Glaring at Toby, Spencer pulled a piece of paper out of his hands mid signature, tossing it and the pink-fuzzed pen into the tide of estrogen that had been climbing Toby like he was a brick wall waiting to be coated by vines.

The fan did not appreciate this, "Hey! That's my pen!"

Spencer narrowed her circles of chocolate at the whining groupie, "Yeah, and that's my boyfriend. You failed to respect my property, so I failed to respect yours. You're already behaving like a puppy, so you should have little difficulty fetching your bone."

Turning to Toby, Spencer wrapped her hand around his wrist, "Let's go!"

"Spencer, don't be rude. I'll just sign a few more-"

"While this all might seem perfectly innocent to you, I'd like to remind you that this sea of skanks happens to be soliciting their bodies to you. I'm one plea for you producing their offspring past peeved girlfriend. These girls are throwing themselves at you like you're at batting practice, and as your coach I'm pulling you out to put you on the bench. Now it's signatures and candids, next it's that Pamela Anderson-clone-in-the-making next to me thinking this is Mardi Gras and showing you her milk duds. We're leaving."

Glancing around for a diversion as the crowd swelled and the girls crew more and more antsy, Spencer ducked down and crawled across the floor, leaving Toby unarmed momentarily. Seeing no other option as her jealousy started clogging her airway, Spencer pulled on the fire alarm, activating the sprinklers and an ear-piercing whistle.

The girls shrieked in horror, distraught over the deflation of their hair and the running of their caked on makeup. This provided Spencer with enough time to secure her grip on Toby and lead him to safety.

Tossing Toby his shirt, Spencer didn't stop her speed walking, even as they reached the end of the mall and were rounding the employee only corridors. Ignoring the "Employees only beyond this point" sign on the doors, Spencer pushed them open, Toby on her heels. Peeking through the window, Toby laughed, seeing the swarm run past in search of him, looking very much like a posse of drowned raccoons.

"Spence, coast is clear...I think we can go out n-"

He'd barely managed to turn when she was ducking under his right arm, grabbing at his collar. Throwing herself at him, Spencer kissed him desperately, roughly. Toby's back slammed into the wall, taken completely aback by her force. His shock left him defenseless against her frenzied advancements. Suddenly his hands didn't know what to do. He started out by cupping her face, but his hands slid down to her shoulders and to her waist, instinctively encasing around her waist to secure her against him. His chest tightening in alarm as his oxygen level decreased significantly, Toby pulled his lips from hers, breathing heavily against her forehead.

"Spencer!"

She raised a finger to his eyes, failing to reflect his stunned smile, looking just as heated as she had in the store when the girls began approaching him. Toby never thought he'd gain any sort of recognition for his photo shoot, the one that Spencer enlisted him in. To be honest, it was nice having people flock around him like he was a God for a day. Just months ago they ran and hid from him, shunning him. If they'd been in mid-evil times, surely he would have been chased down with torches and pitchforks, his head destined to rest on a guillotine. That little rise in the store was a welcomed change, and frankly, Toby was over the moon that Spencer was so visibly outraged by it.

"Tomorrow I'm exchanging your t-shirts for sweatshirts to conceal the evidence of your toned body from predators. What's underneath is for my eyes only!"

Grabbing at her hand and bringing it up to his lips, Toby kissed the back of it. He scooped up the bags she'd dropped to the floor as they walked hand in hand out the back doors to the parking lot.

"Spencer," he vowed in a coo, "Those girls might have my autograph, but you're the only one that can have my heart. I'll tattoo your name across my chest if that's what it takes for the town to get the memo."

Spencer whipped out her phone, punching in a Bing search, "Tattoo parlors in Rosewood, Penn-"

Removing the phone from her evil scheming, Toby opened her door for her as she climbed into the driver's seat. Shutting it, he poked his head through the rolled down window to kiss her.

"I don't really need a needle to make it official. You're already in my veins."

Touched, Spencer stroked the side of his face lovingly, peppering his face with kisses, "Good. Because I can guarantee that I'm your number one fan. Are you getting in or did you just plan on walking home so you can be chased down again?"

Toby smiled, patting her door, "It'll take me ten minutes. Besides, you have a movie date to make with Aria."

"After that run-in you really think I'm going to let you out of my sight? No. Get in. Aria is just going to have to share me and you're just going to have to tolerate watching Channing Tatum dance around in a thong."

Raising a brow as Toby's phone went off, Spencer drummed her fingers on her steering wheel, "Did you have other plans with your newly established admirers? Grape feeding and palm fanning, maybe?"

Hurriedly stuffing his phone back into his pocket, Toby rushed around to get into Spencer's car, putting on his seat-belt. Spencer reached for his hand, but his palms were sweating, so he rubbed them on his shorts before settling for resting a palm on her thigh. He refused to maintain eye contact as Spencer shifted gears and began the route to the cinema, but Spencer didn't question it...at least not out loud. He'd probably just foolishly given his number to one of the girls in an attempt to be polite; not thinking he'd actually get a phone call.

"I know that _Magic Mike_ isn't your ideal kind of movie, but I promise I'll make it up to you by letting you pick out the goriest movie tomorrow night, okay?" Spencer offered.

Toby nodded, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. Forcing a smile, he gazed at Spencer.

"I don't have to watch the screen. I'll keep an eye on you."

Spencer chuckled, "Right, because I'm just that interesting."

Looking back out the window, Toby felt his phone vibrate again, "You have _no_ idea."

_**Thanks for your warm words! You may or may not find another update tomorrow ;) **_


	25. Serenading Spencer

_**Well, kids, I received a request from** aiangenel** for some Toby singing (thank you!). It's pretty cheesy. Like, three layer cheese pizza cheesy. I don't usually write these, but how can I say no to you guys? Hope you like it! Prompts are always welcomed, but don't forget to leave me actual feedback too :)**_

* * *

_**Serenading Spencer**_

Spencer loved a challenge. She loved winding problems that tested her ability to critically think and arrive at a philosophical answer. While most of her peers groaned at the announcement of a pop quiz in mathematics, Spencer practically threw confetti upwards. English essays? Not a problem. Fill in the blank tests with round-about questions to throw its' victims off? She'd put on her mental combat boots and stomp on that baby until it cried and became the new victim.

She was sailing through her Critical Reasoning course as if she was captain of the success ship in a Jack Daniel's esque pose. Her Composition class was a joke. Business Law was kicking her ass mentally, but she was loving every minute. But then there was the exception to her high kick: Intro to Theatre. This class had absolutely nothing to do with what she was potentially going into thanks to her family's pressure to follow in their prestigious footsteps, but it would fulfill one of the requirements for her generals and Spencer wanted to get as many out of the way as she could before she started college.

Spencer was notorious for starting arguments with her Theatre professor, Mrs. Luna, because she simply didn't understand why characters could behave so irrationally. Whenever she was asked to perform a skit on stage, Spencer would argue that she should instead take a step to the right, or that she felt her character wouldn't say the given line. It was more than just embodying her assigned character; it was her need to constantly pick apart everything and over-analyze to the point of insanity.

The last character analysis she'd had returned to her had a big, fat C in the top right corner. C suggested average. Spencer was not average. She was over that. Spencer was an honor roll student. The only under average thing about her was her breast size. Looking down at her chest, Spencer scoffed, folding her arms.

Deciding she'd had enough trying to redeem herself to please her professor, she slammed her book shut and tossed it onto the floor.

Unable to stand the mess she had just created, she hastily picked it up and placed it back in it's correct spot on the desk, aligning it with her notebook.

Her inability to cheat the system wasn't the worst part of her day, either. It had been a string of minuscule things that became significantly bigger. First she smashed her finger in her car door- leaving her nail a deep plum color. Then Spencer had locked her car keys in her backseat when she'd grabbed her bag to head to her first class. That was followed by discovering her first class had been canceled for the day. And then she got her hair stuck to one of the chairs in her law class. When she'd finally arrived home, her parents backed out on their promise to take her out for a nice dinner because they needed ''alone time.'' Not to mention, the DVR failed to record a documentary on black holes called _The Hawking Paradox_.

She was so distraught that she cancelled her planned late night movie date with Toby. He was not too pleased with her, and Spencer ended up turning off her phone to avoid him completely.

She was imagining her teacher with an apple in mouth rotating on a rotisserie spit over a makeshift fire, when she heard the alluring sound of music coming from outside her window. Frowning, the chocolate haired beauty staggered over to her window, drawing back the curtains. It wasn't coming from the window that allowed a peek into Jason's house. But then she heard it again, the plucking of a guitar accompanied by an equally enchanting male voice.

_Cause you had a bad day,_

_you're taking one down,_

_you sing a sad song just to turn it around._

Hoisting up the window next to the foot of her bed, Spencer narrowed her eyes at her musically inclined boyfriend and his spontaneity. There he was, in an open buttoned shirt-the gray one she'd recently bought for him at the mall before the stampede of estrogen began worshiping him- his head bobbing along to the music he was creating. It was dark, but the motion censored lights near the porch were enough to give him a spotlight to work with.

"This song isn't going to turn anything around. Accept you, because if you came here to mock me while I'm down, you can just hop right back on that set of wheels of yours."

Looking up at his girlfriend, Toby beamed.

"I had to get your attention somehow, didn't I?" he paused, taking a few brave steps forward so he would no longer have to compete with the distance, "I didn't come here to mock you."

Spencer folded her arms, "Then what are your intentions?"

Readjusting the strap of his guitar, Toby wet his lips in preparation.

"Just do me a favor and take three minutes out of your studies to listen."

"Toby," Spencer started, looking back at her textbook, "I cancelled our date for a reason and it wasn't to have a pity party. I have this massive essay to edit-"

It was already 9:47. While most normal people looked at that as plenty of time to tackle a paper and revamp, all Spencer saw was a ticking time bomb. Whether a paper was due at midnight or 8 am the next morning (the second one being the case), Spencer didn't see a difference. It didn't buy her more time, it only encouraged her to do something half-ass, and she hated it. She'd much rather a stricter deadline.

Toby may have been a few feet below her, but she could still see the rolling of his crystal eyes.

"Yeah, I know. You always have a paper to write. You always have a deadline. Spencer. All I need is three minutes and I'll let you go back to pulling out your hair over being a perfectionist over something that's probably already perfect."

Toby sighed, looking up at her sincerely. "Look, I don't possess the ability to take back your day for you. But I think I have the ability to make it a little less sucky and hopefully put a smile on that beautiful face. Please?"

Shaking her head in defeat, Spencer took a seat on her window sill. "Alright, Pat Benatar; hit me with your best shot. Fire away!"

Despite the sarcastic confidence he'd been wearing on his sleeve only a moment ago, Toby now seemed nervous. He cleared his throat a few times before strumming a new song for her.

His voice was soft, gentle, loving, everything Spencer needed in that moment. His sky blue eyes sparkling up at her, his doubtful smile fading to display his sincerity.

_And I'd give up forever to touch you,_

_cause I know that you feel my somehow._

_Spencer, you're the closest to heaven that I've ever been _

_and I don't want to go home right now._

A hand over her heart, Spencer let the lyrics flow through her eardrums and soak into her chest cavity, her heartbeat providing a drum solo. She giggled when he added her name to the mix.

_And all I can taste is this moment,_

_and all I can breathe is your life._

_'Cause sooner or later it's over,_

_I just don't want to miss you tonight._

Even at her height, towering over him, she could still make out a hint of sudden sadness in his eyes as he covered the next portion of lyrics. Feeling a drop of warm moisture on her knee, she wondered if it was suddenly raining, but as her vision was like looking through a kaleidoscopic right now, Spencer realized Toby's cover had alerted her tear ducts and the dam had broken. Emitting a mix between a sob and a laugh, she covered her mouth to keep from blubbering like a baby.

_And I don't want the world to see me,_

_'Cause I don't think that they'd understand._

_When everything's meant to be broken,_

_I just want you to know who I am._

As his majestic fingers worked in the next notes, Spencer began swaying gently, a smile gracing her face. She listened to the lyrics carefully, but focused more-so on his flawless deliverance. Once he reached the guitar break, Spencer vanished from the window. Toby hadn't even noticed because he was ensuring his fingers wouldn't slaughter the rehearsed string coordination, but Spencer was heading down the stairs and jogging through the living room. Throwing the side door open, she slowly walked his way. He'd looked up at the window in confusion, before hearing her bare footsteps on the porch and rotated to see her. Spencer's face was visibly touched, and the path of her tears under the moonlight glistened.

Destroying the space between them, he took smooth strides until he was standing with one foot planted on the ground, the other on the first step. Spencer was balancing on the rail of the porch, facing him. Her bottom lip quivered as he wrapped up his show.

Toby had barely managed to set down his guitar when Spencer launched herself into his arms. Lacing her arms around his neck, she cradled the back of his head, affectionately playing with the spikes in his hair as he rocked them back and forth. One hand guiding her legs to his waist, the other brushing through her auburn waves, Toby hiked the remaining steps. He reached for his guitar and kicked her door open, setting his guitar on one end of the sofa, and lowering his rear onto the opposing end.

Spencer released another sob-giggle into his neck, withdrawing from the nook there to gaze at her romantic Carpenter by day and Musician by night.

"That was very 1989 of you," Spencer teased, playing with the signature dimple on his chin, "John Cusack would be very proud. Although, he had a boombox, not a guitar."

"I wasn't going for John Cusack in _Say Anything_, I was going for Toby Cavanaugh in _The Serenading of his Spencer_."

Dabbing at her tears with his buttery lips, Toby twisted a strand of her hair between his fingers.

Spencer snuggled closer into his lap, tracing up and down his jaw line with her knuckles. "I don't think I've ever seen that one."

Toby pushed her fingers through her hand, bringing it down for a series of rainfall of kisses, "Really? There's a girl that looks just like you starring in it. It was a hit at the box office. Ticket sales were phenomenal."

"You're phenomenal. So, tell me, how does it end?"

"Well, the first movie ended with a massive cliffhanger, so I'm still unsure."

"Well, every romantic movie ends with a mind-blowing explosion of passion as the main character kisses his leading lady," Spencer hinted cutely.

Grinning, Toby captured her lips.

The stresses associated with her class, with her paper, had long since vanished from Spencer's thoughts. Her bad day suddenly wasn't so bad after-all. It was great. It was_ so_ great. The world around them moving quickly like a train they both so desperately wanted to get off of, all Spencer and Toby could taste was this moment.

* * *

_**Welp. There you go. I hope this did your prompt some degree of justice. Like I said, this is just me playing around with a song-fic...I kind of twisted it a little bit. I clearly do not own Goo Goo Dolls or their beautiful song, just like I do not have any ownership whatsoever of Bad Day. As you also probably guessed, I also do not have any rights over Say Anything. But I do have copyright over The Serenading of Spencer ;) **_

_**Feeback please and thank you with a cherry on top! **_


	26. Drink Me In

**Drunk! Spencer prompt just for the lovely _nojudgementjustlove_. Hope you beautiful readers enjoy it. Getting to your requests and I appreciate them! If you haven't been able to pick up, I've kind of scattered baby clues about Toby being on the -A team. I know, I'm not a fan of it either BUT...I'm trying to make it as realistic as possible and I have this theory he joined after 2.17 for some reason, so roll with me here. :) **

** Drink Me In**

The thunder outside clapped every time Toby's steel toed boots collided with each step on his stair well up to his loft. The heavy tread imprints on the bottoms of his caramel stained Timerblands were incriminating evidence of his exhausting day, as was the debris left over from his stationing at the sawdust machine so predominantly that afternoon.

Every time there was an illuminating, almost blinding electrical discharge from the now sombre Heavens, a ripple of pain surged throughout his body, through his veins and making pit stops at his core muscles. The surges continued to pick up passengers and add to the capacity of his physical suffering from the arduous task of tossing around heavyweight materials as he climbed the last five steps; dragging himself the rest of the way, almost. His back was as sore as bare skin being subjected to a cactus, the throbbing shifting as he shifted weight on each leg to walk.

He fully intended on going to bed early tonight, right after he soaked in a tub of ice. It would numb his body...and hopefully his heart. He'd been keeping so much from Spencer lately that it was causing him nightmares. He had three jobs, the way he saw it. His first job was providing him with tangible wealth; at least enough to get by and provide for himself independently. His second job was this new avenue of secrecy; one that he never would have stood for before...one he absolutely dreaded going to everyday. It was the job from hell every time he had to put on that black jumper. He thought he felt dirty coming home from work doing construction? Ha. That was nothing compared to the filth and disgust he was subjected to mentally, and he would scrub his skin until it bled, desperate to rid himself of the shame that was obviously more than just skin deep. His third job, that was the most rewarding. He didn't come home from it with aches and pains all over his body, and he didn't feel like a monster. His third job? Being with Spencer; protecting her; loving her. It was a job he wouldn't give up for anything. And yet somehow...no matter how much he'd try to succeed, he was failing it and he knew it. It was only a matter of time before-

Nearly stumbling backwards down the stairs, Toby inhaled sharply.

A mysterious bottle in hand, tucked under her chin, there was Spencer. She was sprawled out in front of his door, one hand tucked under the seam. She was soaked to the bone, her hair sticking every which where. She wasn't just drenched from the rain, she was drenched with liquor. Toby could smell it from his position and it burned his nostrils.

Stepping forward, his scowl became extinct within an instant, and a feeling of pity was displayed there as a substitute. He circled around, carefully stepping in between and over her legs, stopping when the toes of his shoes kissed the tip of her skull.

"Spencer?"

She hiccuped, willing away the bricks in her head to look up at him, her chin kissing the floor, "Toby? Tobias? Is that you?"

He saw her rub frantically at her eyes like windshield wipers and couldn't help but chuckle at how adorable she was in that moment.

"Spence, what are you doing here?"

Another hiccup. "I c-c-came..." she licked the tip of the bottle, "To see you, silly Billy. I know your name isn't Billy, but it rhymes with silly. It reminds me of a Billy goat...baaaaaaaahhhhhh...baahhh."

He heard the contagious sound of her giggle, unable to keep from smiling as he lowered himself down into a squat.

"Bah, bah, black sheep have you any wool? Toby...do you have any wool? Is your shirt made of wool? Is it itchy? That's the ultimate wool test."

Toby reached out and tucked some hair out of her eyes, sweeping his thumb over the creases of her forehead, "Did you drive here?"

"Nooope. No sir'ee. I hailed a taxi!"

"Thank God!" Toby bit his lip, tucking his finger under her chin as she sat up, "Baby, you're a mess. What happened?"

"What happened? Well, first I tried to con the driver into transporting me to the Household Cavalry Museum in London, but then I realized he gave me a funny look because the fare would have been exceedingly outrageous and his car wasn't a boat or a plane, so I bribed him with a fifty to bring me here instead."

"No," Toby sighed, "What made you decide to drown yourself in reckless behavior? There had to have been something that triggered your desire to get inebriated."

Spencer smiled at him goofily, blinking a few times. She shrugged her shoulders, leaning against the wall. Jiggling her legs from side to side, she looked longingly at the bottle.

"My neglectful governess decided to go and not neglect the progenitor of the spawn of Satan up in Philly for the weekend while my father decided to swim laps in tubs of butter, clogging his arteries and snoring himself into fatty induced coma."

Her face pruned up as she fought off a few droplets of disappointment, "And I got a 98% on my law test."

Toby guffawed. "Spencer, isn't that a good thing? 98 is great!"

"Ninety eight is two percentages off from the end of my academic career. My life is ruined!"

Wrapping his hands around the source of her bipolar emotions, Toby carefully slid the bottle from her hand, "I think we've had enough of this for the night..." he swigged the bottle around, astonished that she'd guzzled down so much. He prayed that it hadn't been full when she'd set her eyes and mouth on it.

"An ounce of alcholol contains calories equivalent to that found in a baked potato or a glass of milk," Spencer sprouted off, looking up at Toby as he stood up, "Do you drink milk? You look like you drink milk. One percent or skim? What's your overall body mass index?"

Bending over, Toby shoveled Spencer into his arms as if he was carrying a porcelain doll, his top priority right now to transfer her inside to safety and warmth. His keys already in hand, he didn't even struggle with them as he balanced her, pushing it open with his back before stepping inside. He shifted her upwards to secure the door with the three provided bolts before slowly moving towards his bedroom.

"Here," he instructed softly, "Stay here. I'm going to get you some water."

Spencer sniffled, kicking off her sneakers. "Is it filtered? Because research indicates that filtered water is actual the healthier and purer alternative. Filters remove potentially harmful sneaky bastards, like lead. Did you know that filters can actually decrease the likeliness of developing colon cancer? That's because it serves to remove contamination, like chlorine, and it helps bring balance to the PH levels of..."

Getting an earful even from the kitchen as Spencer continued to pour out useless facts she'd probably only glanced at once in her lifetime, Toby downed some Aspirin. He poured Spencer some water from his filtered pitcher and threw his head back, rolling his eyes.

"You're like a living, breathing, walking, talking, drunken encyclopedia, damn!"

He sat down next to her at the edge of the bed, waiting for her to take it, "It's filtered, I promise."

Accepting Toby's water, Spencer gulped it down instantly, belching. She covered her mouth, embarrassed by the release of something deemed so unlady-like by her overbearing family.

"That was probably caused by the blending together of oxygen and nitrogen in my digestive system," Spencer guessed, "I once read that-"

Having heard enough about the collision of nitrogen and oxygen, Toby decided to create a collision of his own. Tipping her chin upward, he tucked his fingers behind her ear, bringing her lips to his. He interrupted her mid explanation, so she started to object, but soon sighed into the kiss and surrendered, her hands flying to his face.

"Mmmm."

The glass that once held her water tumbled to the floor and shattered, causing the lovers to withdraw from their display of affection.

Ever dramatic by nature, this was only heightened by what she had consumed, and Spencer lurched forward to clean up her mess, apologizing to her boyfriend.

"Toby, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! To be fair you kissed me and then I lost my grip-"

"Spencer, Spencer. It's okay. I got it. Don't...I'll get it. You'll cut yourself, careful."

By the time Toby had returned with a shovel and broom, Spencer was already trying to piece the glass back together. It was hopeless, but she was determined. Of course, the shaking of her hands under her state were not making her already impossible task any easier to swallow.

Chuckling in amusement, Toby watched on. His amusement didn't last, because Spencer held up her hand, shrieking.

He was by her side within a heartbeat, kneeling before her, not caring if he cut himself. He brought her into the bathroom and sat her atop the sink, holding her upwards while fishing through his medical cabinet for treatment and a bandage.

"Blood is so...drippy." Spencer decided, her eyes drooping a bit, "Toby, it stings!"

Examining the cut on her pointer finger, Toby let it run under the cool water. Next, Toby applied some cream, though Spencer yelled at him for it. Prior to placing a bandage on it, he bent forward and gently placed a kiss atop the tip, covering it quickly with the Spiderman banaid.

Spencer laughed lightly, gazing up at him with glossy eyes, "Spiderman?"

Toby's cheeks were warm, and he nudged her shoulder with his hand, "Give me a break, they were on sale, fifty percent off."

"I don't buy that. Na uh. Admit it: You are a comic book freak. You love the Spidey. He can do things a spider can."

"I _do_ love the Spidey."

Pausing, Toby scanned her body, her clothes were clinging to her body, and she was shivering. He cursed himself for his failure to notice she was cold, and began tugging on her sweater, "We should get you out of these clothes, Spence."

"Oooooh, Toby. Are you trying to seduce me? You don't have to try," she replied coyly, placing her lips against his ear, "We can play redlight, greenlight."

Blushing, Toby lifted her arms, "I'm trying to get you warm so you don't catch cold. Arms up please."

Lifting her arms, Spencer let him drag the material upwards, "Sometimes I forget I own bras. Whoops! There goes my shirt, up over my head...ooohhh myyyy."

"Okay, Tweet, can we stop collaborating with Missy for a minute and focus at the task at hand?"

Trying to be as much of a gentleman as possibly, though Spencer made it difficult not to stare, Toby undid her jeans, pulling them off her legs. They stuck at the bottom, and he gently lifted her legs up one at a time, resting her feet on his chest. Reaching for the clean pile of pajamas he kept on the shelf behind him, Toby unfolded one of his t-shirts and placed it over her head, untucking her hair for her.

"Tobbyyyyy," Spencer pouted, "I want you! I want you so bad, so bad right now. All the time I want you!"

"I want you too, but we're waiting."

Spencer blew a raspberry, her thumb dipping under to show her disapproval, "Phhffft. Screw that!"

"We're waiting."

It was meant to serve as a reminder to the beautiful, half naked brunette on his counter, but right now it was really more of a reminder for him. He would never take advantage of her in this state, but that didn't mean there wasn't temptation. Slipping on a pair of his sweat pants, he rolled the bottoms around her ankles, grinning at how baggy they were on her.

Next, he reached for a comb and removed the knots in her hair. Finished, Toby kissed her forehead tenderly, rubbing their noses together as he gazed into her eyes. They were normally a shade of dark chocolate, but right now they were almost golden.

"You are a very cute drunk, you know that?"

"You are a very cute sober, do _you _know that?"

Shaking his head at her, Toby wrapped her legs around his torso and carried her back into his bedroom. He lowered her cautiously onto his bed, tucking her legs under the covers and fluffing a pillow for her to rest her head on. She smiled dozily up at him with love-struck cartoon eyes, and he couldn't help but feel warm inside.

Yawning, Spencer watched as Toby cleaned up the shards of glass on the floor, "You're a cute carpenter too. And a cute boyfriend. You have such a cute butt."

Snapping back up, Toby carried over the trey full of glass and emptied it into his garbage near the TV, switching off the light.

"Goodnight, Spencer."

"You're leaving me?! You can't leave me! I have severe parental abandonment issues and I can't tell me left hand from my right at the moment," Spencer pointed to her left hand, "Left," she pointed to her right hand, "Right. Nope. I still seem to have that skill, we're good "

Muffling a laugh, Toby stood in the doorway, "I'll be right back. I just need to shower. You _will_ be okay if I go shower, won't you?"

She waved him off, "Thanks for the invitation, Toby honey, but I am just soooooo tired right now."

"You need sleep," Toby smirked, "I'll be back. Don't go anywhere. I mean it. You better be here, in this bed, in my clothes when I get back."

"Ok-al-y, dok-aly, Captain Cavanaugh! Otherwise I shall walk yer plank!"

* * *

True to her word, as drunken as it was, Spencer was still snug in his bed when Toby returned from the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist. He was mid hair drying when his eyes landed on her.

His drawer was flung open, almost off the hinges, a variety of his shirts hanging out. A trail leading to the culprit on the floor led back to Spencer cuddled up in his bed; her arms full of his shirts.

Releasing a quiet chuckle, he tiptoed in and picked up her mess, closing the drawer. Throwing on a pair of boxers, Toby crawled into the opposite side of the bed, pressing his chest into Spencer's back, wrapping an arm around her.

"So _that's _where all my shirts keep going! You're a thief, Miss Hastings. First of my heart...now of my shirts."

She rolled over and snuggled into him, breathing out in little huffs against his bare chest steadily.

Playing with the curls that framed her face, Toby smiled fondly down at his sleeping beauty. He peppered her face with kisses, starting at her forehead, down to her lips, letting his lips linger against her soft ones. Pulling back enough to watch her sleep, he drew her name with his last name onto her back. When her brow furrowed, he caressed her cheek with his knuckles, wishing he could take away all of her worries in life. He lifted her free hand, pressing their palms together. Lacing his fingers with hers, he remarked how perfectly aligned the spaces were; how their hands were meant to hold the others'. He kept their hands entangled like this as her breathing lulled him off into his own reflective slumber; knowing that she'd have a hangover in the morning and he wanted to be alert and attentive to help her through it.

Toby Cavanaugh had titles: carpenter, A-teamer, and boyfriend.

Being Spencer's boyfriend was his absolute favorite, that he was positive.


	27. A Break with a Bullet

**Well, this was a prompt that turned into something else entirely as I wrote, so I hope you all go with it and enjoy! LOL. This was totally not how I had it planned, but sometimes as a writer, you've just got to let your muse lead you. It's a wee bit long...so I apologize for the ridiculous length in advance! Thank you all for your outstanding reviews! I wish I could send you all a hug, but I'm pretty sure the computer screen would get in the way. ;) **

**A Break with a Bullet**

Spencer was deep in her studies over statutes of limitations, her books coating her sheets like a tornado had flown through her bedroom amidst piles of abandoned papers that didn't pass her perfection standards. Her hair wildly thrown up in a high-top ponytail, with strays tickling her face, her brow was creased as she scanned through her law book. Finals were tomorrow, and she'd boarded herself up in her room, only accepting the coffee her parents left for her by the door. The number two pencil she'd been passing between knuckles like a monkey in the middle was now undergoing sharp pressure; Spencer gnawing on it like it was corn on the cob.

Mumbling to herself as she read, she highlighted a section in her notes.

"Screw it," she said through the wooden snack, covering every corner of her notebook page obsessively until it bled blue.

She was perfecting the last paragraph of her scribes when she heard a light knocking at her door. Figuring it was her family checking up on her, Spencer's eyes did a loop around.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait. If it's breakfast, just leave it by the door and I'll get to it!"

Outside, Toby's feet greeted a tray of food. He cursed, bending over to pick up the glass of water he'd knocked over, before raising the entire tray to his chest. The tomato basil soup that had been prepared for her was cold to his touch, and the apple and banana slices that accompanied it were brown. Wrinkling his nose in disgust, he threw Spencer's door open.

"I don't have your breakfast, but I do have your dinner...not that it's actually edible at this point. What are you doing?"

Spencer didn't even look up at him, "Toby, I really need to study. Finals are tomorrow and I need to make sure I'm fully prepared. Is there something you need?"

"Spencer, you've spent the last week and a half in solitude studying for your exams. There is a such thing as too much studying, you do know that, right? You're only going to fry your brain."

He looked around her room, deciding that the tray could sit on her love seat. Stepping over mountains of textbooks, he walked around and took a seat at her desk, stealing a glance at his focused girlfriend. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked like she hadn't seen sunshine in a few days. And he was almost certain her current attire was the same outfit he'd seen her in a week ago on their dinner date with Caleb and Hanna.

"Have you even been to sleep?" he asked, "Spencer? Hello? Spence!"

Fed up with her selective hearing, Toby reached over, ripping the pencil out of her mouth.

"Stop it!" he scolded, "If you chew any harder on that, it'll become a flute! Shut this," he grabbed her textbook and slammed it shut, tossing it behind him, "Get rid of this thing," Toby said, placing the lid on her highlighter and tossing it over his shoulder, "Get up."

Spencer looked up at him, clearly offended. "Excuse me?"

"Maybe you didn't hear me...I said," Toby grabbed at her ankles, dragging her down the bed on her stomach, "Get up!"

Resistant, Spencer dug her nails into her duvet, pulling it down with her, "Toby! This is absurd!"

"You need sleep, you need fuel and you need a break!"

"I'll sleep when my exams have wrapped! I can't study through osmosis! And I have fuel...see? Coffee! Lots and lots of coffee! I will also have you know that I recently took a break!"

"Really? When?"

Spencer gulped, moving her eyes to the right, "I-I...I got up to grab another pencil! See! The amount of time it took for me to prop my body up, remove my books from my lap, and take the four and a half steps to my desk to reach into my second drawer took approximately...twenty five seconds."

Toby folded his arms across this chest, shaking his head. "And when you moved to get up for that astonishingly long break of twenty five seconds, did you or did you not bring one of your cue cards with you to read off of?"

Spencer's head bowed in shame, "Possibly."

"Uh-huh. When is the last time you've downed something solid?"

Groaning at Toby's interrogation, Spencer sank back onto her bed, playing with her fingers.

"Yesterday at lunch. I had a granola bar," she shot up, pointing at the trays of food left around her room, "But I have quite the supply of food to keep me going!"

Toby didn't so much as blink. "Yeah, and I can see you've gone to town on those," he said dryly, "You're getting dressed. And then you're coming downstairs and I'm going to take you to dinner and then you are going to take the time to relax before I get the call from your mother that she had to admit you to the psychiatric ward."

"But-"

Holding up his hand to silence her, Toby moved to her closet, selecting a pair of shorts and a simple olive tank. He tossed it to her, placing both hands on her shoulders firmly to let her know he meant business, "I strongly suggest you wear sneakers."

With that, he turned on his heels and retreated from her room to head downstairs.

Stunned by Toby's sudden alpha-male behavior, Spencer stood there for a moment, blinking as if something pesky was invading her eyes. Deciding she better not push her luck, she removed herself of her leftover outfit and pulled on her shorts and tank top. Selecting her lone pair of athletic shoes, she laced them up. Grabbing her over the shoulder Balenciaga handbag, she threw in her cell phone and note cards turning to head out. She was met instantly with Toby's chest, extracting a sharp gasp.

"Toby! I was just-I'm ready!"

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Toby smirked at the brunette, "You know, the whole point of taking a break, is actually taking a break. If you bring your study material, you're breaking the rules. I know you and I know you well, Spencer Hastings. Put the cards back on your bed."

Perspiration began forming on the crevices of Spencer's skin as she wildly shook her head, her mouth pursing. "Well, then I guess you don't know me as well as you claim to, because I would never do such a thing!"

But, Toby saw right through her like he had X-ray vision, and her purse was confiscated, though she made an attempt to get it back. Fishing out the index cards filled with Spencer's neat handwriting, Toby held them up.

"That's interesting because I just retrieved some evidence at the scene of the crime, Miss Hastings. How does the defendant plea?"

Spencer exhaled, rolling her eyes, "In the case of Hastings and the Cue Cards versus Cavanaugh and Date Break, the defendant pleas guilty."

Satisfied that Spencer had finally given into his efforts, Toby lifted her chin with his forefinger and thumb and kissed her, "Does this mean I get to whip out the handcuffs?"

His perverse inquiry earned him a slap to the chest, but most importantly a laugh, and Spencer rose to her tiptoes to kiss him again, before she led him through the maze she had created with her books and notes and down the stairs.

Spencer checked her watch, "Okay, so if we're back in half an hour that gives me enough time to cover the rest of the Statute of Limitations for negligence. The Brew is close-"

Toby took her hand, opening the passenger door for her, "Spencer, we're not going to The Brew. We're just going to hit a drive thru."

Eagerly buckling her seat belt, Spencer clanged her hands together like a toy monkey with cymbals, "That's perfect! We can be back even sooner which means I'll have enough time to alphabetize my definitions!"

"Spencer, I didn't ask you to wear tennis shoes to run in and grab food. And to be clear, we're not grabbing food for the sake of buying you more study time that you don't actually need."

"Then what's the actual purpose of getting food to go? Are you taking me for a hike up hillside? A lakeside picnic?"

"Not exactly."

* * *

"The shooting range?! You brought me to the shooting range? To shoot actual guns? Are my professors lined up at the receiving line as targets? Because I guarantee I will not miss!"

Handing Spencer the necessary ear protection muffs, Toby's cheeks reddened.

"I know it's not exactly a traditional date, but I figured that the more unconventional the date is, the more memorable it ought to be in the long run."

"You're not going to have me partake in the barbaric slaughtering of helpless Bambi's in the forest and then smear their blood across my face like war paint, are you?"

"What? No! No, of course not. We're just here to hit a few targets. Here, put these goggles on, you'll need them," Toby instructed, pointing to a few options at the Gun Range counter, "Choose your poison."

Looking up at the bearded man in flannel behind the counter, Spencer smiled nervously, "Which one would you recommend for a trigger virgin?"

The man chuckled, scooting a gun he saw fit for her across the counter, "Try this one for starters."

He looked to Toby, "You're not a virgin too, are you son? It costs extra for an instructor and the one we've got is already assisting someone in lane four."

"No, no. I've handled one of these before. That won't be necessary. I'll take care of her."

"Very well. Here's your tote. You'll be in lanes six and seven. You'll find your targets already set up. Make sure you wear your protective gear through the duration, and just bring everything back here when you're ready to check out."

"Thank you, sir. C'mon Spence. This way!"

Dragging her feet behind Toby, Spencer threw the man in charge a weak smile, her body language indicating that she was anything but comfortable with this whole activity. Her hands were trembling by the time she and Toby approached their respective lanes, and she jumped up, startled, every time the gun in the neighboring lane released.

Always able to read Spencer's body language and sense her discomfort without any effort, Toby took her hand in his, explaining that they'd start by sharing her lane first until she got the hang of it. Digging through the tote they had been supplied, Toby took care to insert the shells in the proper compartment of the firearm Spencer would be using, before handing it to her.

"Handle this with caution," he warned, placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her around to face the target. "First, we take our position. Like this."

Stepping up behind her, pulling her back into his hips, Toby kept one hand on her stomach, continuing with his instructions.

"Next, we ensure that our firearm is pointed in a safe direction...which in this case, is our zombie target. Make sure that your finger is always off the trigger until you've determined your line of fire. We're aiming for those circles, ideally the one right in the center of the head or the chest, but we'll take what we can get. You want to hold your weapon like this, with two hands."

Toby placed his hands over the back of Spencer's, pushing his head to the side of her's, pressing the side of his cheek against her clammy one.

When he felt her nod in understanding, he continued. "Now we've got some leverage for control because this is going to recoil once the ammo is ejected. Good. Now take your less dominant hand, like this. Our feet are shoulder width apart. Now we just extend our arms...there we go. Now, you want to aim with your dominant eye. You ready?"

"I would be if I had an explanation for the need to bring me here."

A chill elevated up Spencer's spine as Toby's lips moved against her ear.

"You need a release. Okay,you are going to apply some pressure to the trigger. Press down. You'll feel some resistance, that's normal. C'mon. Take out all those pent up frustrations. Release."

One eye contracting into a squint, Spencer pushed down on the trigger, the recoiling of the firearm as it discharged surprising her. She yelped, her voice shaky with pride.

"I did it! I shot it! Toby, I did it! Did you see that?"

"You did! That was perfect! You ready to try it again?"

Spencer took aim for the second time, squinting in anticipation. Instead of feeling unsure, a wave of confidence surged through her body; though she was pretty sure it was purely adrenaline. So she fired a second shot, and a third, and a fourth, each ejection getting closer and closer to the marks she was aiming for.

"Take that, you cannibalistic bastard!"

Laughing at his girlfriend's sudden enthusiasm, Toby stepped back, leaning against the wall to admire her attempts. When at last she'd fired to the point of satisfaction - she was even shouting out the word yes on a loop - she turned to Toby, a huge smile on her soot coated face.

"Do you still require my help?" Toby chortled, looping his fingers through her belt loops and drawing her into him, "Because I'm starting to think the student has surpassed the mentor."

Spencer aimed her weapon at Toby's reserved lane, "Your lane is looking a bit lonely, and your target is void of any bullets. I think you should do something about it. Unless, you know, you're afraid I'll get more than you and bruise your ego."

His jaw moving back and forth, Toby hoisted himself back up, taking his gun from the tote and taking an athletic stance in front of his own target, "Are you challenging me?"

"Aren't I always? Each circle marks ten points. The first person to 100 wins."

"Why am I not surprised? Everything is a cutthroat competition for you. Alright, I accept your challenge to a duel. On one condition, Hastings."

Lifting a brow, Spencer beamed at him, raising her voice, "I'm listening, Cavanaugh."

Toby raised his gun at his zombie outline, keeping his eyes on Spencer. "If I win, you have to surrender your notes and study materials for the night and spend the rest of it relaxing with me."

"And when you lose?"

"Such confidence! _If_ I lose...which by the way, I won't... I'll send you on your merry way back to the study slave ship with a carton of ice-cream, my treat and I promise to leave you alone until you've completed all of your finals."

Spencer bit her lip, considering his proposal. Bobbing her head in agreement, she readied herself, aiming at her now fresh new target, "You've got yourself a deal. Try not to cry when I kick your ass."

"That'll be you when I cream you, in which case, I brought tissues in the truck in case you need them."

Sticking her tongue out immaturely at Toby, Spencer giggled, pushing back on her trigger. She fired a few more rounds consecutively, mentally adding up her points as she earned them. Likewise, Toby was firing with ease, hitting every single circle on the target without any struggle. Unlike his trigger-happy opponent, he took his time, increasing his accuracy level.

Momentarily taking her eyes off of her own target, Spencer side-eyed Toby's. Quickly calculating his current score, she realized she was just two more shots away from winning, so she hurried and fired another shot, hitting the heart. Laughing in triumph, she paused. She couldn't believe she was about to do this, but the wheel's in Spencer's brain were turning. Pivoting, her body attempted to supply air as she inhaled and exhaled. Her hearing became numb to the shots being fired around her in the lanes, and the only thing she could hear was her heart, as if she was standing inside the bell of the bell tower. Her eyes now focused on Toby, she squinted again, the gun shaking in her hands.

The shot that fired through the air was deafening, like a whip of thunder. Toby reacted immediately, jerking backwards.

All at once, the sounds around Spencer came back, and she could hear Toby whooping in victory, pumping his fists in the air. She couldn't believe what she'd just done. Spencer Hastings had withdrawn prematurely from a competition to let someone else win. Of course, she'd never let him know that. She'd been neglecting Toby all week, and all he wanted was to spend some time with her, to keep her distracted from the responsibilities in her life that tended to raise her blood pressure and turn her into Medusa.

But love meant picking battles, and it meant doing anything to make that special someone happy. So, while Toby continued to bask in his glory, Spencer couldn't help but smile.

She sighed, letting her firearm say hello to the cement, throwing her arms around his waist. Pressing her chin into his chest, she peeked up at him, "Congratulations. You won fair and square. Guess I'll have to retire from my textbooks and spend some quality time with my boyfriend instead."

"Aw, baby," Toby cooed, sprinkling kisses around her goggles, "Admitting defeat? That's very big of you. Do we need to have you checked out at urgent care?"

Spencer's palm collided with the back of his head, "I'm still armed! Watch your tongue!"

Prior to their departure, Toby politely asked one of the workers to take a picture of he and Spencer in their firing attire, both striking somewhat of a secret agent pose with their now emptied weapons, before they took another less playful one. Toby's arm was looped around her shoulder, his gun still in hand, looking at the camera. Spencer had her arms crossed, her expression equally bad-ass.

Admiring the picture captured on Toby's phone, Spencer giggled, "These are great! Can you send this to me? I want this as my facebook banner. Plus, it's proof that I actually did something that falls under the kick-ass category."

"Okay, little miss trigger-happy. I think we've already established that you're pretty hardcore today. But yes, I would be happy to share. As long as you're willing to share ice-cream? I've got a couple more stops on our date."

They piled into his truck, grabbing ice-cream from an ancient little hole in the wall near the firing range before Toby parked his vehicle atop a hall overlooking a crystal lake encircled by trees. The view was breathtaking, and Spencer rested against Toby as he spooned her bites of coffee crunch, cherishing such a simple but meaningful moment.

The ice-cream disappeared just as quickly as the sun, and the couple snuggled into each other for warmth as the stars blanketed around them.

"Can I ask you something?" Spencer asked softly, locking their hands together, sliding her fingers in and out of his sensually.

Toby kissed the side of her hair, rubbing his face against her neck affectionately, "Hmm?"

"Where did you learn how to fire a gun? And don't tell me it was from playing Halo or whatever that video game is."

His chest rising as he showed appreciation to her humor, Toby curled his fingers atop of hers, bringing their arms in so his crossed over hers. His thumbs brushed up and down the material of her tank top as he let out a shaky sigh. Spencer could feel his throat bob up and down against her skull.

"My Dad used to take my hunting before my...before my mom..." he trailed off, clearing his throat, "Anyways, he took me to that very same range I took you. We used to go there to practice almost every Saturday morning until I got the hang of it. Finally, I was ready. It was like a right of passage, you know? Being able to go hunting for the first time, actually hitting a target. I remember the first time I got a turkey, my Dad was so proud that he took a picture of me with it and he hung it up on the fridge. I used to look at that picture and it reminded me that I could conquer anything I set my mind to. You know, my Dad even made a copy of it and brought it in to work. His employees used to ask him who the boy in the picture was, and he always told them, "That's my boy."

"From that point on, father-son hunting trips became a tradition I looked forward to more than anything. We'd come home and my mom would have french toast and rolls baking for us, and we'd sit down and tell her our stories and we'd just laugh. And then we'd come up here, he, my mom and I. We'd come up here and watch the stars, and we'd camp out so Dad and I could go hunting the next morning. But then my mom passed away. And we stopped coming here. We didn't laugh at the table anymore. We just cried. And then the whole thing with Alison...when people asked him about the boy in the picture on his locker, he stopped telling them it was his boy, and he tossed it. I still have the one he used to keep on the fridge in my wallet. Those memories are kind of tainted now."

Leaning forward enough to retrieve the now wrinkled Polaroid, Toby handed it to Spencer sadly. She stared down at it, running her fingers across the younger version of the boy she held so close to her heart.

Toby's story was having a profound influence on her heartstrings. Spencer blinked back tears, feeling the aching of his heart through his tone. Craning her neck, she cupped his face tenderly in her warm hands, gazing into his eyes.

"Then we'll just have to make new memories. Starting with this one."

Smiling appreciatively, Toby captured Spencer in a hug, squeezing her tightly against him. He burrowed his face in her hair as she played with his, cradling his neck.

"Toby? Thank you, for making me take this break. I'm really glad I did."

"So am I."

* * *

Having invited a last minute study group over the morning of her exams to prep, Spencer and a few classmates were spread out across her room, quizzing one another and shouting out answers.

When it was time to head over to Hollis for the administration of their tests, the group gathered their bags and books. Digging into her pocket for her keys, Spencer instead pulled out the folded over picture of Toby when he was younger. Smiling affectionately at his lopsided grin, she barely heard the calling of her classmates.

"Spencer?" Spencer's classmate, Tracey, asked, "You ready?"

"Yeah, just...one second."

Making her way over to the cork-board above her desk, where a plethora of ribbons, certificates and other awards Spencer had collected in her life time were on display, Spencer grabbed a tack and pasted the picture square in the middle. Stepping back to admire the younger version of her boyfriend smiling back at her, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Tracey reached out and pointed at the photograph, "Aw, who is that little cutie?"

The proud smile Spencer was immeasurable.

"That's my boy."


	28. Gym Jealousy

**_I know I've already written in Jealous! Toby but I've gotten numerous requests for MORE Jealous! Toby so... ;) _**

* * *

_**Gym Jealousy**_

"I think you're the only person in Rosewood, no, let me retract that, the _world_ that brings books to the gym. You do know your finals are over, right?"

"Thank you for extending my giddy awareness, smart-ass."

Tossing a hand-size white towel courtesy of the gymnasium over his shoulder, Toby grinned at his girlfriend from the treadmill he'd been hogging for the last twenty minutes or so.

"Okay, so why are you toting around a book about the concepts of genetics like it's the Holy Bible? You know that's a safety hazard on the treadmill, right?"

Now that Spencer was free of her classes, the roles had been reversed; she was now the significant other soliciting Toby for his time. She wasn't serious when she teased Toby about going to the gym with him for his traditional two hour sweat-fest, but he seemed to believe it was the best idea ever presented to him. So, here they were, on a Saturday morning basking in euphoric feelings of endorphins and estrogen. That's not to say there wasn't plenty of testosterone, though; the gym was packed like sardines with burly men resembling heavy weight champions. All that manly aroma and the stench of smelly socks and lack of antiperspirant reminded Spencer why she preferred going for jogs outdoors. Plus, she wasn't exactly a fan of how the rows of torture equipment were lined up in rows so that the eyeballs behind her could park on her rear as she worked.

Shuddering, Spencer gazed back at her sweaty boyfriend with an uncomfortable smirk.

"Has it ever occurred to you in the oh, I don't know, five official months we've been dating, give or take a few more prior to the Dark Ages, that maybe, just maybe I enjoy this kind of reading material?" Spencer laughed, leaning over the railing of the treadmill Toby was on to kiss him, "So are sweaty, sexy boyfriends that make girlfriends whom are already accident prone subject to more serious injuries, such as whiplash."

Toby happily let Spencer's lips pamper his. "I'm glad you decided to come."

Adjusting the settings on her respective treadmill, Spencer's ponytail bobbed as she went back to her newly established routine.

"Me too. Though, I'm not entirely sure why you requested my company because there is nothing even remotely romantic about getting sweat in your eyes or watching men in their senior years do aerobics in spandex as they secrete foul odors compliments of their apocrine glands. The only thing strengthening in my body right now is my gag reflex. Do you think maybe the staff could distribute deodorant with those towels?"

Toby chortled, sanitizing his equipment to allow someone else to put it to good use, before dabbing at the perspiration on his neck. Removing Spencer's water bottle from the cup holder, he guzzled some down, waiting for her to lessen her speed.

Spencer shut down the machine entirely to retrieve her book, retiring from her current exercise for something less stationery.

Always eager to be near her, Toby gathered her into his arms.

"I'm going to go do some heavy lifting and then hit the sauna," he said softly, leaning in to brush a wisp of hair from her eyes, "I'd extend an invitation to join me in the hot box, but the staff prohibits the mingling of opposite sexes in a confined space prone to nudity and pervy older men. Are you going to be okay while I'm gone?"

Spencer blushed, scanning his body yearningly. If they weren't in a public place, it wouldn't just be her eyes doting on his they were in the privacy they so often were deprived of it would have probably escalated quickly into something that involved excessive displays of her now frenzied hormones, but alas, now wasn't the time or place. Still, Spencer could not refrain herself from sweeping her palms over the muscly canyons of his torso.

"Alright, Superman, go bench-press some buildings and play Go-fish in a diaphoresis box with malodorous veteran men. I'm sure I can find my own entertainment."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! I'll just take that 40 minute yoga class while you're bulking up and we can meet back here on the floor. Just promise me you'll do your pre-workout stretches so you don't wind up with any post-workout injuries that cripple your ability to partake in alone time Olympics."

Pressing a quick kiss to Spencer's temple, Toby beamed bashfully. "I'll be very careful. You have fun doing bizarre positions and interpretative rain-rain-go-away-see-with-your-mind's-eye-jigs."

Spencer's towel swatted at Toby's rear as he dispersed, "Hey! Don't knock on the integration of the body and mind through meditation! You just work on toning your physical condition! I get to tone mental, physical, _and _spiritual disciplines! That is why women are the masters of multi-tasking, Toby!"

"It's remarkable to hear such enthusiasm for such a criticized art," a deep voice projected behind her.

Whipping around, Spencer's eyes befriended emerald, soulful eyes with a mischievous twinkle that set her stomach on fire. With a perfectly chiseled jaw to follow, and seemingly glowing skin, plus a dazzling smile, the man holding the door into the studio was simply jaw-dropping. He looked like a candidate for male underwear commercials. His lips were heart shaped, and Spencer couldn't decide if she was more enchanted by those, his eyes, or the way he was built. He was like a Latin version of Liam Hemsworth.

Clearing her throat in an attempt to come back from LalaLand, she smiled politely at this stranger with excellent chivalry, "Thanks. I was just - my boyfriend he -wouldn't be caught dead associating with this sort of... thing."

The stranger laughed gently, handing Spencer a mat.

"Most men have misconceptions about yoga. They think it weakens their masculinity, when really it just encompasses several disciplines to strengthen your core and spirit. Once you've strengthened your core, you can do anything. But, those common misconceptions will probably be why I'm the only guy in here today."

Looking around the crowd as people filed in, Spencer giggled, "You're the minority here, that's for sure. It'll only make you more coveted to the middle-aged women, if anything."

"That or make people seriously question my sexual preference," he needled, setting down a book next to his mat.

Spencer's eyes widened, "Alright, how is it possible that the only two people who bring novels to the health club meet?"

"Get out! I thought I was the only one who did that! Most people are attached to the television or their music. That's really cool."

As the yoga instructor made her way to the front of the studio, near Spencer and her new friend, she asked her pupils to spread out.

Spencer remained in her position, but the male-model-candidate took a spot behind her, rolling out his mat. He caught Spencer's gaze as she peeked at him over her shoulder and he nodded back.

"My my my!" the perky instructor with pink hair chirped, "Ladies! We have one brave soul joining us today! Welcome to our space of serenity, sir. You are a true man!"

After a painfully embarrassing singling-out by the instructor for the male-model, the instructor began leading them in some stretches. The first few were pretty modest, but when she asked the class to spread their legs, touch the floor between their legs and keep their backs straight like a coffee table, things became mildly awkward for Spencer.

Waiting until their overly-enthusiastic instructor walked to the back of the room, the alluring gentleman got her attention again.

"I feel like since we're in this awkward position, it'd only be proper etiquette for me to introduce myself," he extended his hand, "I'm Rafael Romero, and you are? Besides incredibly gorgeous, that is."

Reaching out under her legs, Spencer shook his hand, "Spencer Hastings."

Rafael treated her to a glorious wink, his Latin accent especially strong as he repeated her name to memory, "Spencer Hastings. Pleasure to meet you, too."

* * *

Yoga class had long since been dismissed for the day, and Toby still appeared to be in the sauna or locker room, so Spencer didn't feel too guilty continuing her conversation with Rafael on the architecture project he'd finished in Puerto Rico over the summer. She'd gone absolutely bananas over the visuals he'd supplied her with on his phone of some of his creations, before they dived into an appreciation for Michelangelo's contributions to more modern day styles, and his defiance of the classical styles of his era.

Toby Cavanaugh had been jealous of many different things growing up: seemingly normal relationships with parents, having both parents alive, getting to go out and party on weekends as he was confined to his porch thanks to the ball and chain on his ankle, people who didn't have to even look at their textbooks and could still manage to pass an exam with flying colors.

But nothing made his blood boil more than any sort of threat against he and Spencer's relationship that he had spent all summer trying to mend from their last separation.

Spencer was attractive, there was no denying that; she, in his eyes, was the most beautiful girl on the planet, so of course he could expect admirers he'd have to ward off. He had accepted that. What he had not accepted was competition. First he'd had to deal with Wren and his inability to leave underage girls, mainly Spencer, alone. Now he was competing with this Ricky Martin poser.

If he'd been wearing a jacket, he'd have rolled up his sleeves. So instead, he readied his fists at his side, bulging out every muscle in his arms and chest in a protective, territorial stance.

"So we're thinking of going back to Puerto Rico in the spring for some additions to this particular piece and we're always looking for volunteers! You seem to have a natural eye for this art, and I know I'd be speaking on behalf of my peers in saying that having you there would be phenomenal. Plus, I'd reckon the experience would look good as a you being a shoe-in to the college of your choice. If you know anyone else that would be interested, I can give you my number and we can exchange-"

Spencer was buying into this guy, and Toby couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I've always wanted to travel there! I just redesigned our barn-house and I've been looking to..."

Giving a scheming side-eye to the suspended Olympic Weight set Rafael was about to show off to Spencer with, Toby quickly altered the the Barbels from the preset 110 pounds to 210 pounds. Sneakily reclining onto his back to bench-press an unoccupied set, Toby began lifting without any trouble, waiting for Spencer to notice his presence.

At the moment, her eyes were fixated on Rafael, who was shakily removing the weight bar from its restraints, feeding Spencer some egotistical line about how this weight was nothing compared to what he usually lifted on a daily basis for his occupation. At last, as Toby predicted, the weight was much more than the home-wrecker bargained for, and soon the bar was compressed against his chest, pining him down.

He yelped in pain instantly, sending a string of profanities through the vaulted arena, which only provided him with the attention from every gym member within staring distance that he was so desperately seeking from Spencer.

"Oh my God!" Toby could hear Spencer cry, "Are you okay?"

Quick on his toes, Toby put his own weights back into the position he found them in. This immediately drew Spencer's attention to him, but before she could even breathe a hello, Toby had towered over Rafael in feigned assistance, getting a grip on the bar. He lifted it with ease from the squealing "man" that had been hitting on his girlfriend.

Offering his hand to Rafael, Toby assisted in pulling him up to his feet, "You should really take care not to exceed your lifting capabilities, man. You're lucky you didn't end up with blunt force trauma. Even the smallest barbell can crack a rib. Maybe you should stick to lighter weights from here on out."

Poor unsuspecting Rafael looked like his life had just flashed before his eyes as Toby drew him in for a manly pat on the back.

"You should also take care not to hit on my girlfriend again, because the next time I see you the only thing you'll be stretching is your arm to reach for the nurse button from your hospital bed."

Rafael didn't so much as breathe in Spencer's direction as he scampered off, whimpering like an injured puppy.

As Spencer stepped into his side, a hand over her mouth, Toby shook his head, "I hope he's okay."

"Me too," Spencer breathed, "He's lucky you came to his rescue. There's no way I'd have been able to lift that thing off of him."

"People get so wrapped up in trying to showcase their physical abilities that they forget to take the necessary precautions. He was lifting double what he should have been."

Looking up at Toby, Spencer dangled her arms around his neck, "How much were you lifting, Herc?"

"Well, Megara," Toby poked back, "Let's just say I could do at least twenty rounds of bench-pressing you and still not get tired."

"Oh really? That I have to see," she nuzzled into his neck, "Are you done adding to your perfectly toned body? I am in desperate need of a shower."

"Oooh, so am I," Toby apologized, "Do you mind if I borrow yours? Once you've showered first, that is. I don't want to hog all the hot water."

"I know a perfect way to solve that problem, you know. We can conserve water by showering together..."

Toby gave her a surprised look as he opened the door for her to his truck, unable to hold back his beam as he took in her post-workout glow.

Lifting herself into the seat, Spencer buckled herself in, rolling down the window for some fresh air. "Sorry. My hypothalamus called for some endorphins and they called back so now I'm...shutting up. I'm shutting up."

* * *

Once they arrived back to the Hastings house, Spencer took a shower first, while Toby went to work repairing one of the drawers in the kitchen that had been neglected for months to keep himself occupied.

When at last Spencer announced that the shower was all his, he couldn't have gotten in quick enough; there was almost a breeze behind him from how fast he'd ran into the bathroom.

While he rid himself of his own afterglow, Spencer got dressed for their lunch date, running a comb through the shower-induced knots in her hair. Toby was always a speedy shower-er, so she wasn't surprised when he was out before she'd finished taming the wild beast attached to her scalp that made Cousin It look normal.

Toby, as usual, sashayed out of the restroom amidst a cloud of heavy steam, a chocolate towel wrapped around his waist, leaving his tattoo and hip indents visible for Spencer to gawk over shamelessly as he dried his hair with an extra towel. Normally Spencer would lecture him for using more than one towel, because it meant more loads of laundry, but when he was half-naked and had droplets of water rolling down his abs, all of her complaints went out the window, along with her train of thoughts completely.

She averted her peeping toms to grant him some privacy as he pulled on his boxers and Atlantic blue cargo shorts, ditching his towel to rest on the rocking chair he'd crafted for her months ago that she so affectionately rocked in every night before bed.

Peeking through the cracks in her hands, Spencer decided he was covered enough, her feet unwillingly magnetized to his as she let her hands rest on each side of his hips, tickling the ink on his left side, "You know, maybe our next workout routine can consist of you bench pressing me, because I honestly don't believe you."

Toby rejected her challenge, opting for another one, though he knew he could bench-press her easily as many times as she desired.

Lowering himself onto the floor in a push-up position, he nodded up at her, "Get on."

"Toby, I don't think this is the time for horse rides around my bedroom."

"Spencer, stop talking and get on."

Rolling her eyes, Spencer tiptoed to his side, mirroring his position over his body, before lowering herself flat against his bare back, her body aligning horizontally with his so that it fight in every crevice perfectly. Her knees dipped into the back of his knees, her toes brushing against his heels. The upper half of her body was equally molded into him, and the peek of her rib-cage dipped into the nook between his buttocks and lower back. She felt a little like she was spooning him while being suspended, so she propped her her chin up with her elbow, her free arm loosely wrapping around his shoulder.

She was startled when Toby lifted up, and then proceeded to do push-up, after push-up, after push-up, not even emitting a grunt each time he lifted their combined weights. Spencer lost track after he'd completed his 45th push-up, and decided she'd had enough of this.

"Wait, pause!"

Removing herself gracefully from his back, she positioned herself underneath him as he remained with his arms straightened, his chest off of the ground. Once she was settled under him, their faces aligned, she bit her lip to fight back a giggle, "You may resume."

Toby smiled playfully down at the brunette, continuing his series of push-ups, pecking her lips every-time he lowered his body down, mindful not to crush her.

When her eyes remained shut after a brief, but lingering kiss, Toby lowered himself completely, though carefully, fusing their lips together.

"Best workout ever," Spencer hummed against his lips.

"Best girlfriend ever," Toby cooed back, "Even when you're oblivious and defenseless to the advancements of other guys at the gym while I'm not around."

Cringing, Spencer played with the hair near his forehead, "The advances were unrequited. Toby, do we really have to get into this discussion again?"

"What discussion?"

"The one where I do everything in my power to convince you that no guy could ever compare to you, to all of you. Even if he did look like one of those exotic models..."

Toby's hands were digging into her knees, knowing this was the goldmine when it came to making her double over in laughter, "Oh really? You sure you don't want to take that back?"

"Nope. He was really, really hot!" Spencer bellowed in between laughter, "He had really nice hair! His eyes, oh his eyes! And that smile was to die for! And his body, was yummy!"

"Now you've really crossed the line," Toby warned, lifting his body off of hers before picking her up, "I think you need to take a cold shower."

"I already took a shower! Toby!"

His knees edging the bathtub, Toby held her out over it mockingly, "Take it back or suffer the consequences, Spencer!"

She was beating against his body as he stepped into the tub, not even bothering to close the curtain behind him.

"You don't have the nerve to turn this thing on, because then you'd be the spotlight of my wrath and I take no mercy!" she shouted, trying to sound scary, but her giggles weren't helping.

Toby reached behind his back, keeping her against him as he slowly began turning the nozzle, "I'm not scared of you. You still haven't taken it back."

"Toby-"

"Spencer."

"Toby Cavanaugh don't even think about i-"

Her sentence was interrupted by a scream as the water hit their bodies, Toby continuing to hold her in place against him. Their laughter died down as she blinked back the water to raise her lips to his.

"This brings new meaning to rinse and repeat," she commented breathlessly when at last their lips disconnected.

Toby sniffled against her hair, pressing his forehead against hers while the water continued to waterfall refreshingly around them.

So drawn in by the feel of Toby's skin against her skin through the damp material of Spencer's shirt, mixed in with the way he was looking into her eyes, Spencer stroked his neck with her nails.

"You have really nice hair," she whispered, running her fingers through it, "and I love running my fingers through it. You also have beautiful eyes that I love staring into. You have an amazing body that I love cuddling up against. But your smile? It's your smile that takes my breath away. It's like the sunset you've been waiting to see all summer. As far as dreamy goes? No one could be dreamier than you."

The heat spreading to Toby's face, he bit his lip, "Really? I try really hard to be."

Snortling, Spencer pressed her chin into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist, "You don't have to try. You already have me."


	29. Build Me A Future

**_Wow! Talk about a break! Sorry guys. I've been experiencing a loss in inspiration for Fluffy! Spoby lately, plus my class load has been heavy on my back like a ton of bricks being stacked one by one - no fun! So, you have my apologies for the negligence with this story. I do hope you will enjoy this installation though ;) _**

_**Build Me a Future**_

* * *

Checking the directions she'd fished out of her Denim and Faux leather Moto jacket, Spencer began snooping around the corner, letting the scent of sawdust and the mechanical whir of an electric sander serve as her yellow-brick road to finding her Oz.

Dirt particles and hay crunched under her black oxford platforms as she bashfully followed the improvised walk way in the old barn-turned-craft house. Everything in here echoed, and the whirring of the machine being operated by Toby's impressive arms was enough to almost deafen her. She didn't know how Toby could seemingly remain immune to the sound; it would drive her nuts to hear it for hours on end. Pressing her lips together, Spencer leaned against a shelf, her arms folded in entertainment as she watched her super-hunk slave away over a wooded surface of what appeared to be a box or a chest of some sort in the making. When at last the machine kicked off, Spencer made her presence known, kicking herself off of the shelf to parade over to Toby.

"You know, I'm a little disappointed that you're wearing a shirt. I was hoping to catch you sweltering without one. I was also hoping you could take a lunch break and join me at that little bistro down the street?"

Toby lifted his focus from his project, his face erupting into satisfaction as he took in the refreshing site of his tall bombshell, "Spencer."

"Hi," she giggled, "I'm sorry for the unannounced intrusion...I just thought maybe I'd try on spontaneity today. Not sure if it fits yet. Having a hard time letting go of my planner. It feels weird not having to pencil in bathroom breaks to your afternoon! I don't know how people manage without organizers!"

Removing his gloves, Toby erased the space between them, tugging her waist into his, his fingers appreciatively skimming the backside of Spencer's metallic coated denim shorts that did everything right for her already endless legs.

"Some of us like to live on the edge a little. Some of us actually welcome surprises with open arms...and I...happen to be one of those people you speak of. Hi. You look beautiful."

Spencer blushed, putting on her glove of modesty. "What this outfit? I just threw whatever was closest on this morning. It's nothing much."

_Lie. It was a total and complete lie. She'd gotten all dolled up specifically for the reason she was going to see Toby. _

Ever the I-see-past-your-bullshit-boyfriend, Toby let out a breathy laugh against the skin of her neck, his voice alternating an octave lower. "I can't picture you blindly fishing out outfits from your closet. You coordinate everything...even the color schemes of the napkins we use to go on picnics up at the hill. I also happen to know for a fact, Spencer, that you prepare every aspect of your outfits the night before and drape them carefully like glass wind chimes over your chair before you go to sleep."

_True. All true. She even had to match her bra and underwear for her outfits. _

"Oh really? What else do you know for a fact, Mr. Knows All?"

"Hmm, I know that you have a specific, designated binder for each of your classes, and that you have an assigned color for each one."

_Also true. Spencer even went as far as to use assigned highlighters to match each subject folder to avoid any potential confusion. _

"Tell me more!"

"More facts? Let's see...I know for a fact that you've been dying to kiss me all day." Toby flirted, performing his signature Eskimo nose rubbing.

Spencer tickled the hair at the nape of his neck, moistening her lips with her tongue, "Do you now? You're fairly confident in this assumption?"

Toby only reeled her in closer, pressing on the small of her back to minimize space between them, not that there was much the way it was. He mirrored her lick-lipping, which only made the tingling sensation in the basement of Spencer's stomach intensify immensely.

_Another truth! God, she wanted to kiss him, so, so badly. She'd woken up tracing her lips...the memories of their lengthy, passionate goodnight kiss still heavy on her mind. She'd been walking around like a love-sick fool all morning, she could barely focus on anything. She even poured orange juice into her bowl of cereal instead of milk. And even then, she was still a dopey-happy child. _

"Sufficiently confident."

"Toby," Spencer teased, though her lips were gently grazing his as she spoke, "My schedule is rammed full of various activities. I don't know if you've noticed, but I hardly have time to breathe, let alone fantasize over those warm, supple, plump lips coating mine...or you pushing me back into a wall and hoisting me up onto your waist...or how you whisper my name in that husky tone before you go in for the kill that gets me every time..."

Toby licked his lips again, and due to the close proximity, his tongue brushed along the space between hers, causing Spencer to lean forward in anticipation. Toby of course, was enjoying this immensely. He got a kick out of torturing Spencer with something like this, and as much as he wanted to push her against a wall and kiss her until their lips were raw and numb, he knew he was on a time constraint with his project.

Aggravated that Toby threw in his towel prematurely, Spencer whimpered helplessly, digging her nails into his wrists as he took both of her hands in his and pulled her backwards.

"Toby!"

"I tell you what," Toby proposed smugly, "If you help me finish this project, and I meet my 2 o'clock deadline, I will gladly kiss you so hard you don't even remember you name. I could always use an assistant."

Inside, Spencer was bashing his head against the counter out of sexual frustration, but outside, she forced a weak smile, observing the cornucopia of supplies surrounding them. It all looked so disorganized; so overwhelming. With all the dust and wood specks floating around, she was sure she'd be getting dirty. She already felt like she needed to jump into her car to drive home for a shower. This place was the definition of filth. Still, the sooner she helped Toby finish, the sooner she could get out of there and breathe fresh air.

"Fine," she grumbled, "But I really can't see how I'll be much help considering I have little to no experience in this field. I can't even successfully construct a Gingerbread house! i wouldn't know how to use half of these tools if you told me."

"First of all, we need to work on that. That's pathetic. How can you not know how to build a Gingerbread house? Secondly, I won't be telling you...I'll be showing you. Come here."

Spencer hesitated.

Toby rolled his eyes at her, "Come on, I'll be your personal instructor. But first, you need some protective gear..."

Reaching for the safety goggles behind him, Toby dusted them off on his t-shirt before placing them over Spencer's eyes for her. Once she was prepped for her job, though she was certain she looked dorky in her goggles, Spencer placed her hands on her hips, pointing to the project Toby had before him.

"So," she said, "Where do we begin?"

"We begin," Toby explained, handing her the electric sander, "By evening out the surfaces. See how this side is still a little rigid? We're just going to use this orbital sander...and tone them. Think you can handle that?"

Nodding with a shrug of her shoulders that said what-the-hell, Spencer tossed off her jacket, letting it take a snooze on the table to the right of them. Toby's eyes grew in size, as big as bowling balls. He let them trace Spencer's newly exposed skin, his lips shooting out air like little bullets.

Though accustomed to having her boyfriend check her out often, Spencer always enjoyed calling him out on it. It was nice to see him blush for a change.

"What?" she feigned, taking her hair and pulling it up into a messy high-ponytail.

"N-nothing! Just...you look...I...ahem...so."

Toby stuttered pathetically, placing his hands on Spencer's hips and guiding her closer to the project, reaching for the sander and placing it properly in her hands so she had a steady grip on the handle. Leaving his hands over hers, he warned her in advance about the power of the machine, how it usually had a mind of its' own, and she'd just have to learn to control it.

Before she could make a wise-crack comment, he activated their electric buddy, slowly lowering the sander down to the cedar-wood, "Easy does it!"

Spencer yelped upon contact, the machine like a bull not wanting to be tamed.

"Easy, easy!" Toby repeated, "Easy! Not only will these even things out for us, it'll remove any stray marks or flaws. Keep it moving! We don't want it to sand through the veneer! That's the way...easy...back and forth...smooth strokes..."

Releasing her hands, he guided her hips back into him, making it easier to wrap his arms around her. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he supervised her work, honestly impressed with how well she was doing.

"That's perfect," he said into her ear, leaving his lips there, "Soft, steady strokes..."

Spencer felt her body naturally respond to his, reclining back into his embrace. Alternating the degree of her neck for him, she sighed in pleasure when his lips streamed down from her ear to her neck. She tried to remain focused on what she was sanding, but after a few licks and nibbles, Spencer had surrendered to her senses.

Suddenly, the saw was flying forwards, and Spencer followed, shrieking in surprise by the force.

"Turn it off, turn it off, Toby!"

Toby was quick to respond, shutting down the machine. He peered over Spencer, examining the damage. Running his palm over the trail the sander had decided to take during its joy-ride, Toby let out a deep breath, "I told you that thing was strong, you know you've really got to be more careful, Spencer. You being here is a safety hazard. We're lucky it's still in good shape!"

Turning around, Spencer was outraged. "I need to be more careful? You're the one violating at least a hundred safety codes by-"

Her words turned into a slight moan as Toby caught her open mouth with his, his hands fastened to her hips. Spencer wrapped her arms around his neck, growling against his lips as she felt Toby smile.

So he wasn't angry with her at all...she'd get him back for that one. It had been his fault, anyways.

"...by seducing me..." she moaned in between pecks, "We could have sawed the table in half...or my fingers..."

"Mm, then you wouldn't be able to flip me off anymore..."

"Then I wouldn't be able to run my hands through your hair or do this," Spencer rasped, swiftly undoing the buttons on his shirt, digging her nails down his impressive six-pack.

Toby groaned in response, getting a better grip on her hips as he lifted her onto the work table.

"Or do this," Spencer continued, tugging on his earlobes.

In reaction to Spencer's ministrations, Toby began ever so slowly using the pads of his fingers to lift Spencer's top as they explored her range of delicate, buttery skin. When he approached the tip of her ribs, he kneaded the area with his rough thumbs, getting rewarded with a drawn out moan from the brunette as their lips fused together once again.

Her hands anchored into the roots of his chocolate hair, yanking his head back to discharge a gasp as Toby raked across upper boundaries. She went to work on his jawline, intent on leaving as many marks as she could before he stopped her. Only he didn't.

He pushed forward, and Spencer descended down to his collarbone, her kisses feathery as she balanced on her hands to prevent herself from falling backwards onto the appliances behind her.

Toby skimmed her bellybutton, before using both of his palms to move downwards in a v-shape across her thighs. Spencer's hips bucked upwards in reception, her eyes completely glazed over in lust as they lined up with his.

Maintaining their saucy eye contact, Toby skimmed back up her thighs with his palms again, his thumbs tickling the inner areas as they roamed.

They had barely dipped up past the edge of Spencer's skirt and teased what she was wearing underneath when they heard a door slide open.

Spencer had never heard Toby curse, but there was a first time for everything, and he was really cursing up a storm as he tried to compose himself, freezing completely. Their eyes looked like deer in headlights.

"Cavanaugh! You still here?"

Clearing his throat, Toby raised his voice, "Sir?"

"Need I remind you of your 5:00 deadline? Mrs. Siegel will be here not long after to pick it up!"

Pressing a finger against Spencer's lips to soften her giggles, Toby couldn't help but smile despite his frustration, "It'll be done. Just had a minor...distraction."

"It better be done!"

The door slammed again, and Spencer burst into giggles.

Helping Spencer down, Toby groaned, "Trying to get me into trouble, are you?"

"Toby, trouble is my middle name. Now come on, we've got work to do!"

"Hmm, I could think of other middle names for you, but you're right. We'll finish this later."

"Will we?"

Toby raised a brow. "One way or another. Now, if you'd please, we need to get this thing stained so it has enough time to dry."

Finally paying attention to what Toby had been working on, Spencer knelt down, tracing the carvings he'd made, "What is this going to be?"

"This is a Hope Chest. Well, it will be, once we finish staining and I do a few detail touch ups. What do you think? I know she's not much yet-"

Spencer interrupted him, smiling proudly, "What are you talking about? It's perfect."

She paused, standing back up again, "What exactly is a Hope Chest?"

"It's a safe keeping, sort of traditional in some families. You put your most prized possessions inside. That or items of significance; it's a hope box for the future. Some families fill them with dishes and other things for their college graduates. Others pass them onto their grandchildren. It just depends, I suppose."

Nodding at Toby's explanation, Spencer squinted, "What would you put inside your hope chest? If you had one?"

Not replying, Toby stepped forward, picking Spencer up by her waist and dropping her carefully inside the box. He smiled toothily at her, "You."

Spencer's cheeks were as red as the Exit sign in the studio. Grabbing Toby's hands, she led him inside with her, both standing across from the other. Tangling her fingers with his, she couldn't help but beam happily.

"That's much better."


	30. Challenge Accepted

**_Did anyone order a plate of fluff with a side of yummy shirtless Toby? If so, this chapter is highly recommended by the "chef". ;)_**

**_Challenge Accepted_**

* * *

"So I've creamed you at Candy-land, Monopoly, Uno, and a staring contest. Anything else you feel like losing tonight?" Toby asked, wagging his head in achievement as his girlfriend sulked on the couch beside him.

"Just because you have been the unfair victor of childish games, doesn't mean you can conquer any competition we have between each other!" Spencer howled, feigning hurt.

Toby reached over, swiping at her bare knee, letting his fingers dust over an area he knew would make her giggle.

Slapping his hand away like it was a pesky insect needing repellent, Spencer folded her arms around her chest, directing a fierce stare at her gloating boyfriend, "Don't touch me. I'm mad at you!"

"Hey now," Toby chortled, "Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger."

"You can't win me over with inspirational quotes from The Terminator!"

"Well, Spence, he's not the terminator anymore; he's the Governor!"

Kicking out her feet from under her, Spencer let them dangle over Toby's royal blue, Adidas Climate-Lite shorts, "Was, Toby, was. Just like you were the winner..."

"Why are you shifting gears into past tense?"

"Because I fully intend on kicking your ass at another game that I am completely confident with my capabilities in. But I suppose you wouldn't be down to play if you knew you were just going to walk away with your head down in shame, anyways. I mean, I'd hate to poke a hole in your Charlie Sheen-winning-mode balloon and deflate it."

Toby's eyes were transformed into half moon crescents, aglow with Spencer's proposal. Wetting his whistle with the glass of orange juice on the coffee table, he dragged Spencer's legs deeper into his lap, designing imaginary stars on her right shin. He was in the dark as far as what evil scheme Spencer had up her sleeve, but he was never one to turn down an opportunity to make her eat her words. Besides, he liked playful Spencer, almost as much as he loved his cutthroat, pouty Spencer.

"What are the terms and conditions of this so called game that has you so delusional, hmm? I need to know what I'm getting myself into before I agree and sign my soul away to the devil."

Spencer guffawed, "And who would be the devil here? Me? Are you referring to me as the devil? Wow. You're really good at winning me over tonight, aren't you? So sweet."

Smirking, Toby roped Spencer in even closer, tugging on her arm until she was entirely in his lap now like an infant taking a nap.

He batted his eyes down at her, tracing her lower lip with his thumb. "The devil."

As Toby's thumb trailed down her chin to her collarbone, Spencer launched her teeth into her lip where he had just touched, "You're no angel, either. Or do I need to remind you by pointing out the trail of love marks on my neck? I didn't think angels played that dirty."

"I didn't think neat-freaks did either, Miss-throws-everything-off-of-her-desk-to-jump-me-in-a-towel!"

Her chest vibrating, Spencer traced Toby's fingers with hers, "Alright, alright. Here's your challenge: the first person to cave and kiss the other loses and has to fork up twenty bucks."

Toby considered the offer for a moment, twirling Spencer's hair absentmindedly, "I'm taking the bait. Challenge accepted! What are the rules?"

"There are no rules, there are no limitations. You can play as dirty as you want, you can use any strategy you want. May the odds be ever in your favor."

"I take you to see Hunger Games and suddenly you're quoting it left and right. So when does this game begin?" Toby tittered.

Leveraging her body up from its position on Toby, Spencer stood up directly in front of his knees, raising her arms above her head to stretch.

The way Spencer's flounce trimmed purple and turquoise top rose up as she stretched out drew in the attention of Toby's oceans, and Toby was convinced she'd done it intentionally to throw him off his game, but he was determined to remain strong, even if she did show some skin. Of course, it didn't help that Spencer's long, smooth, glossy legs were at their best today in her jean shorts that rose to the edge of her thighs. Was it just him, or were her shorts getting shorter and shorter these days? She had to do it just to drive him crazy. Her legs had to be his ultimate Achilles heel.

Always observant to every little detail, Spencer caught Toby in the act of checking her out, lowering her arms back down, "Total Spencer domination commences now, with contestant Spencer Hastings on a running start thanks to her opponent's inability to shake his eyes from her flaunting of her taut, smooth stomach and her long, luxurious legs freshly coated in a concoction of almond oil and a dash of edible body glitter."

The falling of her boyfriend's jaw to the floor was comical as he muttered out, "Ed-ed-edible?"

Deciding to play into Spencer's little tactics, Toby sat up straight, leaning forward. His hand coming up to leaf over the promised shiny-smoothness Spencer was raving about, his fingertips gently hovering the inner most part of her thighs, tugging playfully on the strings hanging off the bottom of her shorts. His move was a hit with Spencer's skin, already feeling goosebumps form as his hand moved up and down teasingly. He could hear her take in a breath.

"But wait! What's this we're seeing, folks? Unbelievable! It appears that said under-dog, Toby Cavanaugh, who began with a brisk strut is gaining speed! Would he be pulling the strategized, proven favorable move of beginning at a slow, steady pace, and then sprinting to give it his all to meet the finish line? Stay tuned! Looks like it's going to be a neck-and-neck race!"

Standing up on his feet, Toby waited for Spencer to make her next move.

"Neck to neck, huh?" Spencer challenged, "I could give you neck-and-neck," her voice dropped seductively, "If that's what you want."

Pressing her body against his, Spencer nuzzled her nose against Toby's neck, stepping on the tip of her toes to reach better, "How's this?"

Not wanting to react obviously, Toby shrugged her advancement off, meeting her eyes, "Eh."

Stepping up her game, Spencer circled around him, halting when she was behind him, still on her toes, she almost blessed the back of his neck with her lips; almost. Her lips closer in distance to his ear, she whispered huskily.

"Do you want to know what I'd do to you right now, if I could kiss you? If I could kiss you, and I was willing to lose- which I am not- I would take my hands..."

Wrapping her arms around him from behind, Spencer discovered the hem of Toby's muscle shirt and started dragging it upwards, her nails paying special attention to his abs as she went up, up, up. "And I would run them up your body like this...arms up."

Regretfully obeying Spencer's command, Toby raised his arms up, permitting Spencer to remove his shirt so it could join their pile of board games on the couch. He gulped, already not comfortable with where this was going. He could not cave, he would not...but if Spencer was going to strip him, he'd be in serious trouble.

Only now her hands weren't scraping against his chest like she was trying to defrost an icy windshield in the winter, but dancing ever so lightly up and down the indent of his spine. Toby nearly hit the ceiling when Spencer's fingers briefly dipped into the lining of his boxers, thankful when her hands soared upwards again.

To his horror, she continued speaking saucily into his ear, set on breaking him down.

"I would place my lips on your strong, sexy shoulder blades before I..." she began massaging his neck and shoulders, "Treated you to a massage you surely deserve after such a long, hard day at work."

The way Spencer was dragging out her syllables now was driving Toby absolutely insane. He didn't know how much more he could take, and they'd only just begun.

"...Then I'd bring my arms back to circle around your waist and tickle this spot...right...here," she continued, brushing the tip of his belt bellow his belly button where his body created that perfect V-shaped landmark she drooled over on the occasion.

Toby couldn't help but giggle slightly, sucking in his lower lip. It really did tickle!

"Then I would nibble on your ear and whisper how much I'd been thinking about you all day and how I just bought new lip balm that not only favors the smell of Skittles, but tastes exactly like it. I know, because when I put some on right before you came over, I slowly ran my tongue over my supple lips..."

Turning around, Toby grabbed her wrists, wedging them between their bodies. His eyes were dead set on her lips, dangerously determined to the point it made Spencer shudder. She knew he was about to turn the tables on her. It seemed karma always found her.

Looping Spencer's arms around his neck, Toby walked his fingers up the buttons of her shirt, his voice equally low and convincing. "If I could kiss you, I'd very much like to taste the rainbow, so to speak. I'd kiss you very, very slowly...while I cupped your face...like this..." Toby rubbed their noses together, his warm breath on Spencer's skin.

Spencer's breathing was handicapped, her eyes fluttering shut, "You could kiss me..."

"I could," Toby concurred, his lips so close to hers he could almost taste them now.

To her disappointment (and to his), he removed himself from reach, "But I don't know if you want me to."

"Hmm," Spencer sighed, leaning forward automatically, "What do you think I want?"

"To win," Toby laughed, grabbing Spencer's waist and lifting her up.

"Oh, you're so right, so, so right...so...right."

Spencer's will power was wavering now. As much as she wanted to win, it was so hard resisting Toby's mouth as it lingered over hers, her legs around his waist.

"Which is why," she warned, "There is absolutely nothing you could do or say right now to make me put up my white flag."

Retreating back to the couch, Toby sat them down, Spencer still wrapped around him so she was straddling his lap. Pushing the small of her back into him, Toby inched his palm upwards, "I know."

Untangling her hands from his hair, he displayed them between he and Spencer's chests, running his fingers sensually through hers like a rake. Tickling her life lines, he lovingly looked up into her eyes, locking their fingers together.

"I love you," he promised sincerely, his eyes waltzing with her cocoa irises.

A whimper escaped Spencer's lips. Damn him! Damn Toby and his sweet voice and his loving words! Damn those eyes! Damn those plump, kissable lips!

Cupping his face, she decreased the volume of her voice, into her usual tone set aside strictly for Toby. "I love you, too. So much, Toby. So much. So much that I might just kiss y-"

Toby beat her to the punch, his lips against hers.

Though she was surprised Toby had been the one to throw in the towel, Spencer couldn't help but kiss him back, marveling in the tenderness as he kissed her just as slowly and passionately as he had promised.

Her thumbs were at the corners of his lips, rubbing there as she shook her head at her adorable boyfriend.

"Whoever said that dieting was the only game where you win when you lose was so wrong!"

His chest bouncing as he laughed, Toby pulled Spencer in for a hug, kissing the side of her hair, "I'll say."

As loving and precious as this moment was, Toby couldn't let his girlfriend bask in her glory for too long. "But I'm never going to let you win Scrabble."


	31. Why Place Nice, When You Can Play Mean?

**_Why Play Nice, When You Can Play Mean?_**

* * *

"That'll be 3.50, please," Spencer informed her costumer as she handed out a batch of frosted cookies, "Thank you for your donation to Rosewood High's Senior class."

There was a light rumbling behind her as Hanna attempted to successfully operate the Cotton Candy maker Spencer had assigned her to as apart of this fundraiser Spencer helped organize in dedication to the highly anticipated, proposed graduating trip to the Bahamas. In company of the rattling of the machine and Hanna's string of inappropriate words for a family friendly function, there was joyful chattering and shuffling of residents as they passed the many booths set up.

Across from the goodies booth she and Hanna were stationed at, Emily was rounding up an audience for the coming attraction. It was 2:00, which meant that shifts for the Dunking Booth (and probably to Aria's answered prayers, the Kissing Booth) would now be switching.

"I don't know if you realize," came Spencer's favorite sound from her favorite Columbia blue eyed hunk as he approached the table, bracing his palms on the surface, "But I've got the next shift at the Dunking Booth..."

"Hmm," Spencer swallowed a grin at the thought, "Wonder how you got assigned that? That's weird."

"Yeah," Toby laughed, "Such a mystery."

Poking her boyfriend in the forehead, Spencer regained her shoulders-back posture, shuffling through some dollar bills, "Unless you're a paying customer and there's something you want here to satisfy your sweet tooth...you'd better get going. I hear the lady in charge gets quite cranky when her loyal subjects are tardy for their battle posts."

Peeling himself away from the table, Toby's hand soared forward to tuck a homeless strand of hair back to the shelter behind Spencer's right ear. He let his fingers take the stairway down the back of her ear to scoop back up like a paper airplane, elevating her adorable cleft chin.

"I see something I want, but it's not cookies or sugar that dissolves on your tongue."

"Mm, well, we have milk shakes too. I hear those bring all the boys to the yard..." Spencer joked.

"Hmph. You have to wait 30 minutes before getting into a body of water after eating...but it's definitely not a milkshake I'm yearning. See what I want would send me into a diabetic coma..."

Spencer knew exactly what Toby was talking about.

The playful suggestion was enough to erect her root-beer shaded eyes, but the tone it was delivered in also awakened every hair of her body like zombies arising from their tombs on Halloween night. It took everything in her not to vocalize every single thought that followed as he started disengaging to his duties across the grass. Instead, the giddy look on her face did the talking.

Shoving a paper cone nearly the color of her hair from the stresses that came with operating anything other than a hair-curler, Hanna kicked off her complaints.

"Here, I give up. You take over. Let me handle the loot! I know it's like, totally common to give two weeks notice before emigrating to a better job or eating Funyons on the couch instead, but we're fresh out of raspberry sugar and I'm all out of gives a fu-"

Shoving a cookie into Hanna's mouth, Spencer gave her blonde friend an eyeball's version of a slap on the wrist, "Hanna! Filter yourself! There are senior citizens and ankle biters present!"

Dumping the cookie from her tongue to the trash can, Hanna coughed. "Yeah, if you're referring to Aria with the ankle biter..."

Spencer began tinkering with the cotton candy machine as one of their classmates ordered the traditional pink vanilla flavor, "No, Hanna, that would be a reference to the little urchins that can't seem to get enough of our booth and will likely be using those 10% off cavity fills at the dentist tomorrow after consuming so much baked goods."

Pouring in a new circular coat of pink floss sugar, Spencer began lining the cotton candy maker with a paper cone, her eyes deserting her responsibility to take a peek over at the parted sea between the crowd of onlookers gathered around Toby's station. He'd just been dunked, and was now rising excruciatingly slow up the ladder, pushing back his wet hair.

The white t-shirt was now complimenting every crevice of his toned upper half, and the water dripping down the rest of his skin was enough to distract Spencer. She didn't notice the pile up and mess she'd created, the stick now supporting enough cotton candy to create a blanket, until Hanna was getting after her.

"Spencer! Zsa Zsa Gabor called! She want's her poodle back!"

Once their satisfied customer had fledged the scene of the sugary crime, Spencer leaned into Hanna, her eyes still plastered to Toby's bewitching body.

"Behold...the reason I volunteered my boyfriend as tribute at the Dunk Tank; the female's dream of wet t-shirts. That right there? Is also the reason this booth just so happened to be established directly parallel to the show. There are no coincidences in this town, Hanna."

"Well played," Hanna giggled, "You sly dog! Just watch the drool, okay? I can't be seen with someone starts behaving like a love sick animal. I've got a reputation to maintain. And my hair. Can I please take a break? I need to pay the Ladies' Room a visit!"

"Alright, soldier...hit the trenches. I'll hold up the front line." Spencer laughed, "Besides..." she said, switching over the "Be back shortly" sign on the table, "I'd like to pay my personal Hollister model a visit."

Slinking up to Toby's assigned perimeter, Spencer greeted Emily with a hug, shielding her eyes from the sun as she beamed up at Toby.

"I'm taking a lunch break, but I wanted to be sure to stop by first. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to dunk my own boyfriend in what is sure to be a display of impressive skill and extreme humiliation. You do know how to hold your breath and breathe under water right?"

Wrapping her fingers around the ball Emily handed her, Spencer took her stance, aiming the ball at the target.

Toby flirted back from his bench above, "I think I can handle holding my breath. I've mastered it by now after all those kisses you demand."

Outraged, Spencer scoffed, her arm moving in perfect form as the ball was launched from her hold and slammed into the target, sending Toby into the water. She laughed triumphantly as he came up gasping for air, dusting off her hands.

"Funny you should mention that..." she turned to her classmates, "He always comes up breathless."

She handed her extra ball to Emily, throwing Toby one last look over her shoulder, "I'd invite you for lunch, but you have to wait 30 minutes before going back into the water. Enjoy your prune transformation. See you later, Emily."

* * *

"You know," Toby said about two hours later as he perched himself on the table now void of treats as Spencer collected the last of the money collected for the day, "If I wanted raisins, I'd have got some this morning."

Motioning to his wrinkled fingers, he moved to dry his hair with his towel, "How did we do?"

Biting her lip, Spencer added up the last lump, "We have officially reached our goal. Looks like I'll be going with the rest of my class to the Bahamas this April! Now I have an excuse to venture into the mall for a new swimsuit."

"Bye, Aria," Toby waved, turning back to Spencer.

Now the coast was clear. They were pretty secluded for the time being, almost everyone had left or was packing up to leave now. Toby was desperate to do what he'd been wanting to do all day.

Lifting his legs over the table, he tugged on the bottom of Spencer's shirt, "I'm still waiting for my payment, boss lady. I hope you plan on modeling it for me...I'm bummed I won't get to see you in it otherwise. I almost wish I hadn't taken an alternative route to get my diploma."

Oddly immune to Toby's cry for attention, Spencer continued her task, "Toby, I'm a little preoccupied at the moment...can you wait?"

His fingers weren't willing to wait, and they began journeying upwards, tickling her skin.

He had to admit, he was a bit hurt when Spencer pulled away, shoving his hand back, "Toby, I'm busy. Not now."

"Come on, just one kiss?" he pleaded.

She ignored his pout, gathering up a few supplies and putting them into a wagon, "What part of not now do you not understand? I've got to finish this. I'll come by The Brew later. Thanks for coming today. You were needed."

As his girlfriend became a split chick, Toby watched her walk away, his chest rising and falling dejectedly, "Yeah, not sure I was wanted, though."

Sliding down from the table, he slung his bag around his shoulder and dragged his feet all the way to his truck.

* * *

Toby was two cups of coffee in and reading the latest Garfield comic strip in the newspaper when Spencer dropped her bag down on the bright red chair nearest him, plopping down next to him on the sofa. She exhaled, releasing her stress, before developing a smile and looping her arms around Toby's neck from the side.

"Hi!" she greeted happily, granting his cheek with an interview from her lips.

Toby didn't so much as blink, "Hi."

It became apparent that her boyfriend wasn't his normal cheerful, enthusiastic self. Examining him through squinted eyes of concern, Spencer placed a hand on his knee, "What's wrong?"

"Not sure what you're missing, but there's nothing right about blowing your boyfriend off after he's just spent the better half of his day helping you fund-raise so you can parade around in a bikini and drink Pina Colodas for a week."

Dropping her arms, Spencer bit the inside of her cheek.

"Toby...I'm sorry. You know I was glad you came, and that I am indebted to your good Samaritan services. But I'm here now...and I want to spend the left-over of this day with you. I'll even let you look through the swimsuit catalogue and pick out one that can be reserved for you and only you..."

The height in her voice at the end of this offer evaporated Toby's bitterness about her earlier behavior and he put down his reading material to bring Spencer's legs over his lap for a massage. He smiled widely when she brushed up and down his cheek with the back of her soft fingers, loving the way she always looked at him; like she was memorizing every wrinkle. He adored the way she let her hands move to his shoulders to gently massage there.

Pulling the remainder of her petite body into his lap, Toby rubbed her lower back, pressing his forehead against hers, "So you're done being mean to me?"

"I'm not being mean to you..." Spencer pouted, her breath evacuating her body as the smell of Toby's coffee breath enticed her.

"Uh-huh," he argued, their noses touching as he slide his back and forth against hers, his eyes getting lower and lower in expectancy.

"Not mean," Spencer tried again, as the almost non-existent space between their mouths was completely terminated.

Their tender lone kiss was replaced by multiple tender kisses, the length of them broadening. Spencer's hand had come up to cup Toby's face and tickle his earlobe when she smiled against his lips, leaning backwards.

Maintaining eye contact with her boyfriend, she slid off of his lap, "Now I'm being mean..."

Toby groaned, though their eyes were doing exactly what he wanted their bodies to be doing at the moment as Spencer walked backwards and then disappeared down the hallway that led to the restrooms.

"Be back...I'm going to wash my hands...and fix my hair...and put on lip-gloss...who knows how long that might take?"

Licking his lips, he got up, quickly too. Toby had just about had enough of playing this game.

If she wasn't going to play nice, neither was he. Why play nice when you can play mean?

Spencer was basking in her wrongly-assumed dominion, when Toby's hand had captured her wrist and spun her around, pushing her roughly into the wall and pinning her to it.

His hands were prying at her lower pack, wanting her as close to him as possible. His hands roamed her back, alternating between that area and her hips, that he continued to tug against him, his lips crashing against her lips.

Her hands were just as shameless as his, pulling greedily at his shirt, not caring in the least they were in a public building. Every time she tried to get closer to him, he pushed her back against the wall, intensifying his capture of her lips between his. He bit down on her bottom lip and dragged on it, resulting in Spencer's hands flying into his hair.

Now it was Toby's turn to be mean.

Releasing her lip, he created some space between them, though Spencer's lips were searching blindly for his, her eyes still shut. Caressing her face, Toby swept back in slowly, halting when their lips were close enough to just barely brush. He opened his mouth, letting his bottom lip barely touch the space between her two lips, before moving it upwards and pulling back completely.

Heading out from the hallway towards the staircase that led up to his apartment, Toby winked at Spencer, his hands in his pockets, "I just remembered...I've got to go clean up my place and shave...who knows how long that could take?"

"But," Spencer whimpered, still against the wall, "You'll...you'll be back...right? Right? Toby?"

Through the glass, he waved, heading up the steps with laughter, "What part of I've got things to attend to do you not understand, Spence?"

_**Sooo? Thoughts? **_

_**This one came to me at the most bizarre time...so I just went with it. Do you like playful, flirty Spoby? Don't keep that pretty little review box waiting ;) **_

_**Love you all. Many thanks. Many warm wishes. **_


	32. Catch and Release

**Wow, nearly a month since I've updated, yeah? Sorry about that. Running out of ideas for this story, so any prompts you can offer that work with the timeline/in character would be a great treat :) **

** Thanks in advance for all your feedback, and for taking the time to read! You're all outstanding, and your support never wavers; means so much to me! xoxo.**

**I could easily be swayed to update tomorrow, but that's up to you guys ;) You know the routine! p.s. Only a few short days before we lose our Spoby! Sanity...not prepared. Not prepared at all. Thank you, writers, for "Ship slapping" us. **

**Catch and Release**

* * *

A clipboard in arm, Spencer assessed the current patient sprawled out casually on a leather makeshift couch in the town meeting center. The room was bustling with many volunteers swamped by the generous hearts (and bodies) of those in Rosewood that had showed up and spared their time for the Bi-Annual Rosewood Blood Drive. Spencer was on the committee of just about every event partaking in the small town, so it was of no surprise she was here, helping direct willing patients to tables, passing out charts and cookies and juice.

While she'd been polite to all of the incoming good Samaritans, she paid special attention to the one in front of her. This one was the only one who would receive special treatment from Spencer Hastings.

That's because this bleeding heart was none other than the object of her infatuation, Toby Cavanaugh.

As appealed by the nurse once a skin-tinted tourniquet was wrapped around Toby's anticubial area, - the crease where his arm bent opposite his elbow- the boy who caused the swelling in Spencer's heart flexed, pumping his strong, large hand in order to assist in the location of a vein to be solicited with the needle waiting on the metal tray behind them.

"Shouldn't have any trouble locating my veins," Toby smiled.

"Yeah," Spencer agreed under her breath, "That's because they bulge out along with your momentous muscles of titanium that put even the predicted love child of Van Diesel and Ronnie Coleman to complete shame. I'm surprised that needle didn't break into tiny particles upon impact. You're not even flinching?"

Toby supplied a shrug.

"Right, of course, this probably feels like the sliver that never was to you." Spencer mused, shaking her head in disbelief, "You're invincible."

Watching the blood drain from Toby's body into the tiny tube was less than appetizing, and Spencer felt herself growing weak from this viewing party. It reminded her of the time she snuck into an R rated movie at age 13 with Hanna...they'd both ended up peaking through their popcorn-greased palms the entire time. Suddenly, Spencer felt like she had bit off more than she could chew, so she redirected her eyeballs elsewhere.

"There, all done," the middle-aged nurse smiled, "I'd stick around and chat, but as you can see, I'm needed..."

"Don't worry about it, I'll make sure he gets his treats," Spencer assured the woman, waving a hand.

Glancing back at Toby, she still felt a bit squeamish, but pushed it aside, grabbing Toby a bandaid and flattening it out against his skin. She let her fingers trace the valley there, her hand taking the elevator up his well-defined arm to his shoulder, where it came to a termination in skimming.

"How are you feeling?" she asked softly, her stomach embarking on leaps.

Toby looked down at her lovingly, freeing his opposite hand to place over the one she had parked on his freshly proded arm, "I feel fine."

He weaved his head lower, trying to level his eyes with hers, "Are _you _okay?"

"I," Spencer said matter o'factly as she stood up, reaching into the basket at the nearby booth to retrieve Toby some packaged cookies and juice, "Am just peachy. Here. Choose your poison."

"So this is my reward, huh?"

Spencer cocked her head to the side flirtatiously, "You seem disappointed. Are you one of those people that isn't satisfied unless they leave the hotel with a complimentary mint on their pillow and washcloth animals left in your bathroom? So sorry to disappoint, Mr. Cavanaugh, but if you want a slice of cake you'll have to head over to the diner across the street. We're limited in our supplies and our funding."

Taking advantage of the seclusion the room dividers in-between each table offered, Toby bit his lip, running a flat hand between her legs, "That's not exactly what I had in mind when I heard treats..."

Squiggly floaters began marauding Spencer's vision. Her palms were sweaty. The back of her neck felt like it was propped against an old furnace that was out of control.

How she managed to construct anything even slightly articulate was as great of a mystery as the Voynich Manuscript's origin and meaning.

Still, she did, though her words came out like a snail racing along a line of salt.

"Maybe I could arrange for an alternative...you're being just as bold as your muscles, you do realize that right? But I think you've forgotten we're still in public."

"Haven't forgotten. Not that it would be difficult to. It's hard to remember proper public behavior standards when you're with me. You'll have to excuse my forwardness Ms. Hastings. I hope I didn't offend."

Even with his apology, his hand still remained sardined where he'd placed it in the first place.

Spencer half smirked, tickling his shoulder, "Not offended. Just happy to be put in best light by someone I find just as irresistible no matter the setting."

She raised the hand that was behaving so daringly and kissed the back of it, nuzzling into his palm, continuing her stumbled speech. "Are you doing anything tonight? I was hoping maybe we could catch a movie or something."

Toby flopped his shoulders, his voice lowering an octave. "I've actually got plans."

Spencer's head dropped down, displaying her disappointment. "Oh."

But, his fingers elevated her chin so her hazelnut irises could collaborate with his air superiority ones. "I've got a date with the most beautiful girl in town - make that the world - and we're going to catch a movie...or something."

Tunnel vision seemed to enjoy badgering Spencer, and though she tried to will her eyes to stay with his, they dragged down to his tempting lips; though those seemed to double in quantity.

"Or something...I...I feel a little...fu-"

It didn't go without warning, but suddenly Spencer could hear what could only be described as the rush of cars speeding past, and the entire room felt as if it had morphed into a Merry-Go-Round.

When she came to, she and Toby had traded positions, and now she was the one on the table. His eyes were beating down on her with such intensity it was almost heartbreaking, and Spencer wondered as she willed her vision to stop duplicating everything, if she was even actually alive. She felt like she'd just been mauled by a truck crossing the street. There were pins and needles in her legs and fingers. Her face was burning. She felt nauseated. Lucky for her, Toby's presence was the best medicine, and he hadn't left her side.

His left arm was tucked under her shoulders, the other one cupping her face, brushing away the hair that had abandoned her headband in an act of rebellion. "Spencer?"

"Keep her feet elevated," Spencer heard.

"She's coming to..."

She heard Toby's voice again, and this time it didn't sound like Dr. Evil on steroids. "Spencer? Spence? Spencer, can you hear me?"

Groaning, Spencer permitted her eyes to remain open, her voice raspy. "What happened?"

"You fainted," Toby explained gently.

"Great. I knew I shouldn't have passed up on that cookie. I was supposed to be conferencing with volunteers and waiver forms, instead I ended up conferencing with the back of my eyelids."

Extending his recently opened juice bottle, Toby made it available to her lips with a straw, supporting the back of her neck, "Here. Drink this. You should make up for those cookies you bailed on too. I'll sit with you."

"Toby, don't be absurd..."

"Spencer," Toby warned, sounding very much like a parent disciplining a child wishing for ten more minutes on the playground, "What did I say? I'm staying. Slow sips."

After recharging, Spencer still felt a tad weak, so she remained on the cushioned table. Toby had joined her, his arm still secure under her frame as he cradled her into his warm body.

"I didn't eat breakfast either," Spencer confessed, toying with the zipper on his jacket, her tone full of shame.

"That's the most important meal of the day!"

"I know."

Tampering with her hair again, Toby brushed his lips against her forehead, leaving them there to lounge. "Guess we'll just have to make up for that, won't we? Let me take you to lunch."

"I can't!" Spencer objected, trying to sit up, "I have so much to do! I gave my vow of dedication to-"

She sunk back down against him, "Fine. Will you carry me?"

Toby seemed concerned once more. He rubbed her shoulder affectionately, "You still feeling weak?"

Spencer let herself sink into his embrace, her nose dabbing against the crook of his neck. "Hmm, yeah. But that's got nothing to do with my failure to provide my body with proper nutrients before donating blood, and everything to do with you being here right now. My knees, my stomach, my palms...my heart. That's all you, Toby."

"Now I'm the one being flattered in the best light..." Toby blushed.

They remained in that pose for another couple of minutes, before Spencer got up to inform her co-workers she would be leaving for the day. They were understanding, and soon she and Toby were in his truck, his arm roped around her shoulder, her hips against his as she used him as a pillow.

Her fingers had taken a liking to the patch of unshaved skin under his chin, her mind wandering to all of the wonderful things Toby Cavanaugh was always committing just for her. He was too good to be true. He had to be, right? She was always taught that nothing could be that good; there was always a catch. Freeing her lips to communicate with him what her mind was pondering, Spencer patted his knee as he drove them through town in search of a spot to satisfy the demands of her stomach.

"Donating buckets of blood for the Blood Bank, helping elderly ladies cross the street, getting kittens down from telephone polls...are you really as great of a guy as you seem to be? Is there a facade? What's the catch?"

Toby simply confiscated her hand, stroking her knuckles. He parked the car in a parking spot and shut down the engine, turning to Spencer fully and pulling her into his lap.

"You are."

Happy with this change in altitude, Spencer rested her head on his chest, her arms tightening around his waist as he held her like a child.

"Hmm...you've reeled me in, Cavanaugh. So are you the kind that takes their treasure home for a nice lemon saturated fillet or do you release it back to it's natural habitat to run free?"

"With fish? I'm a catch and release kind of guy. With you? There are bigger fish in the sea, and for that reason? I have no intention of letting you go."

"If there's anyone I'd settle being hooked to, it's you."

Little did Spencer know, and Toby had every intention on keeping it this way, his "facade" was hanging on the back of his bathroom door in his loft, along with the accompanied black gloves.

Every word he'd said to Spencer was true. As long as there were sharks in the sea of Rosewood, he'd wear his jacket and piranha anyone who tried to lay a finger on her.


	33. Chances Are

**_I know the theme of these oneshots has been uber fluff, but tonight I got inspiration to go in a different direction. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. _**

**_Chances Are_**

* * *

Toby Cavanaugh never cancelled on dates. In fact, pancakes with maple syrup, bananas, and chocolate chips falling from the sky would seem more conceivable than Toby throwing in a torpedo on their dinner date. Unfortunately for Spencer, tonight it was plausible, and the odds seemed to be against her. She'd always been so good at probability; statistics and the odds of an event occurring were her specialty in all of her mathematics courses she'd ever enrolled in.

For instance, she knew that the chances of falling victim to a fatality due to a plane crash was at 1 in 29.4 million. Or that the odds of winning a powerball lottery were 1 in 175 million. Or even the odds of being attacked by a shark - 1 in 11.5 million.

It's not like Spencer hadn't been cancelled on before. But by her dedicated boyfriend? Something had to be up.

So, after she'd gotten out of the shower, coated her skin with a refreshing layer of makeup, outlined her entire body with glitter-lotion, curled her hair, and dressed, she was saddened by Toby's text. His words seemed shorter than usual, and there really wasn't much of an explanation.

Three things crossed Spencer's mind as she gathered her shoes and car keys.

1. Toby was sick. Very, very sick. Because a simple cold would never stop him from seeing Spencer.

2. Toby was on his death bed- in which case, he'd better let her know.

3. She was not going to let the white, above the knees, sheer sleeve lace dress with a perfectly rounded neckline, purchased JUST for the occasion, go to waste.

So, she drove hastily over to his apartment, not sure what her plan of action was, really, other than she was either going to yell at him, or end up going back out for soup to nurture him. Her nude lace platform Mary Janes clicked against the iron steps of The Brew, the metallic sound of contact parroting through the building as Spencer scaled up the stairs that paved the way to Toby's apartment. Her right foot began to palpate anxiously as she waited for the door to open and reveal her remorseful boyfriend.

"Toby?" she tried, "Toby? It's me. You know, your girlfriend. The one you eighty-sixed about an hour ago? The one who took possible hours of preparation for our fancy reservation at Cicero's with their fancy tables, and fancy candles, and fancy accordion players? Remember her? Look, as much fun as it is tap dancing out on your landing and giving everyone down below a show called Devastation: The Spencer Story, I'd really appreciate it if you at least gave me a sufficient explanation as to why you decided there are more important things than -"

But instead of continuing to knock on the door, Spencer found her knuckles thwacking Toby's solid chest.

"Oh, so you do exist?"

Toby didn't seem too impressed by Spencer's visit, or by the sob story she was repeating for all of Rosewood. His eyes weren't the same alluring, calming color they usually were. He didn't smile sheepishly when he saw her - and that wasn't just because she was rapping on his chest in maltreatment. Still, he drank in her beauty for a moment, unable to hold back his sincere compliment.

"You're beautiful."

"No, I'm angry!"

Spencer failed to notice his expression entirely, letting her eyes skip like stones in a pond over to the scene behind him. His apartment was opaque save for a few candles dancing. Acting like the ball used in table tennis during the height of a match, her burnt sienna eyes ricocheted from his tie and tux jacket balled up on the floor, in company with his white-buttoned up dress shirt.

Completely oblivious to the cardinal shade circling Toby's eyes, or the way in which he was biting his bottom lip almost desperately, Spencer pushed him aside, inviting herself in. She could hear the faint sound of the shower running, her eyes darting to the source of it.

"I see you've managed to fix your shower, how convenient..."

"Spencer," Toby began lowly.

Spencer did a pirouette on her heels, the curls in her hair whipping against her cheek. "Candles, your clothes sprinkled about, an absent explanation, the shower running...please tell me this isn't what it looks like!"

"Spencer..."

"That's not very reassuring!" Spencer yelped.

"Spencer!" Toby shouted over her, "Since your mind has the tendency to jump around more than The House of Pain and Kriss Kross, I'm sure you're thinking the worst. So no, it's probably not what you think. I'm really, truly sorry I bailed on our date, but now is really not a good time. I think you should go."

Spencer was outraged. She was about to put her foot down, and literally. Hands on her hips to expand the severity of her disappointment she was conveying, the chestnut haired bomb-shell congregated a menacing stare down. She wasn't going to budge. She still wanted to know why Toby had suddenly cancelled the date she'd been looking so forward to all week. Maybe she shouldn't have barged in the way she did, but she wanted to get to the bottom of this. Now!

"I'm not leaving until I get some answers, Toby!"

Toby didn't seem annoyed, but his tone was flat, he almost sounded like Ben Stein in the Clear Eyes commercials on television. "What questions do you have brewing?"

"For starters, why is your shower running? Get a new roommate? Or did you just find a better date to feed Italian food to?"

The way she spoke blazed with bitterness, and she was sure it sounded absolutely ludicrous, but in her defense her boyfriend was half naked, a shower was running, there were candles lighting up his otherwise gloomy bachelor pad, and he ditched her for the first time on what was supposed to be a highly romantic night of wooing. What else was she to think? The evidence didn't look too redeeming for Toby right now, and Spencer was fighting the urge to stomp into the bathroom, draw back the curtain, and bitch slap whoever was gargling water in Toby's tub. Imagining the woman in there reading Toby's soap labels, Spencer began imagining the prescription labels that poor, unsuspecting home-wrecker would be reading when Spencer got her hands on her. Not that Toby would cheat, right? He wouldn't. He couldn't.

Would he?

Toby shoved his hands into his front pockets, "Why don't you go look for yourself?"

Her lower lip experienced a mild earthquake as she practically sprinted, (okay, so she limped due to the restrictions of her heels) into the bathroom. Tossing back the curtain, she was ready to exhibit the impressive black belt skills she'd obtained as a child, but her Jackie Chan moves would have to wait. There was no one in the shower. Unless of course, Toby's new roommate was a ghost. Turning off the water for him, she sighed.

Trailing back into the main room, Spencer folded her arms across her chest. "You know, you're contributing to water waste by leaving your shower on. Unless Casper is the culprit here. Running the tap while you're brushing your teeth wastes four gallons of water alone, would you like me to calculate how much water you're wasting by leaving the shower running? If you were trying to wait out the time it takes to achieve the desired temperature suitable for bathing, your chance to wash pleasantly has come and gone. And your chance to explain what the hell is going on? That's about to up and leave too. Start talking."

"What do you want to know?"

How seemingly uninterested he was in making this up to her was driving her up the wall and across the ceiling. "Why was your shower on, and why are your clothes all over? Why do you have candles lit? Why haven't I been able to reach your phone?" her eyes followed Toby's incredulously, "And what the hell is so damn interesting about the bricks in your wall? Do they hold some sort of secret? Is that where your new ghost friend lingers? My patience is running just about as short as your hot water supply, mister!"

Toby bent over to begin collecting his clothes, bushing them up in his arms, "Where should I start?"

"The beginning, would be nice..."

As Toby settled back into the arm rest of his sofa, Spencer propped herself against one of his bookshelves parallel to his location, waiting for his commentary.

He refused to meet her eyes, and they focused on the hole in his sock. "I ran the shower because I was intent on taking before our date. I didn't want to repel you after getting off work. I had my clothes for tonight all set out and ready to go when I got a phone call. It's um...it's..."

His voice broke, sending Spencer's heart into the pit of her stomach. There was an unmistakable sadness in his voice, and up until now, she couldn't believe she'd failed to notice how red his eyes were. She could have taken her heels off and slammed them over her head right then.

Toby continued, though the way his Adam's apple bobbed up and down indicated it was not easy for him to do. "It was my dad. It's my Aunt Jodie, my mom's only sister. She uh..." his voice gave out into a slight whimper, "She passed away this afternoon. She lives in New Mexico, so I thought I'd light one in her honor, because I can't be there to pay her proper tribute. But then I got to thinking about my mom, so I did one for her. And one for my cousins...that's why...that's why I..."

Spencer didn't even let him attempt to finish. Stepping forward automatically, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, resting his head against her chest. Showering the top of his head with gentle kisses, she let her lips remain there, holding her visibly upset boyfriend to her heart.

"Oh, Toby. That's why you cancelled? Baby, you should have told me...I would have been here..."

Despite the hold Spencer had on his head, Toby shook it against her chest, his arms just as desperate to hold her close as hers were to him. "I didn't want to be a bother..."

With unsteady hands, Spencer cupped his face, stroking the lines near his lips with her thumbs. "Toby, you're never a bother to me. I'd drop anything and everything for you, especially with something like this. I am so sorry for your loss. So sorry. I'm sorry for just storming in here and making wild accusations, and I'm sorry for selfishly pouting over how long it took me to get ready for our date while your heart was breaking. But next time? Please, let me in. Okay? I want to be here for you. You can tell me anything, and I want you to know that. I mean it."

He nodded, barely managing a word before Spencer took him back into he arms again.

She held him against her chest for the longest time, before her feet began giving out. If it wasn't her mother trying to interrupt their moments, it was some other force in the universe. Currently, it was her feet reminding her how uncomfortable the hellish torture mechanisms weighing them down were. Kicking them off, she took both of Toby's hands in hers.

He looked at her with puppy eyes, and her heart broke all over again for him. He was hurting, and she wanted so badly to kiss away every tear he was fighting back.

She grabbed one of the matches sitting on the coffee table and lit it, letting the tip of the flame hug the wick of one of the unlit candles. Putting out the match after, Spencer turned back around. Once again holding Toby's hands, she walked backwards with him until they were in his room.

As she guided Toby onto his mattress, she sheltered his body against hers, combing her fingers tenderly through his hair.

That must have been enough for him to feel safe, because shortly after, his face pressed against her neck, he broke down. The way his body shook pulled on every last heart string, and thickened the emotion rising in Spencer's throat, constricting her air supply.

While Toby mourned his loss, Spencer continued to hold him. She alternated between kissing his cheek, brushing through his hair, rubbing his back and whispering how much she adored him.

At last, his sobs has subsided. Ever so carefully, Spencer kissed the corners of his eyes, removing all of his tears as she followed their trail down his cheeks, jaw, neck, and his chest. His face had never been peppered so much with so many kisses, but Spencer was determined on making him feel as loved as he truly was.

Spencer knew her statistics in regards to politics, health, salaries, and winnings. That was her specialty.

She knew that the chances of falling victim to a fatality due to a plane crash was at 1 in 29.4 million. She knew that the odds of winning a power-ball lottery were 1 in 175 million. She knew the odds of being attacked by a shark - 1 in 11.5 million.

But Spencer also knew, as she consoled her grieving boyfriend into slumber, that true love was rare. Finding someone to love, that loved you back unconditionally? That was about 1 in 285,000.

And somehow, despite that disheartening number? She'd found it with Toby.

For that reason, no matter the number of cancelled dates, no matter the reason, the chances of Spencer ever cancelling her feelings for Toby were even slimmer than any statistic she knew. In fact, it just simply was not and would never be possible.


	34. Just Forget the World

**_I'm sorry if the formatting is off, or anything else about this one-shot is bizarre...I originally posted it as a prompt I got from a fellow Spoby shipper (Thank you Sweetobsession123!) on tumblr, and then just pasted it into this baby; so that'd be the reason for any funk being altered. It is prettyyyyy cheesy, but you all should know by now that is just how I roll! _**

**_I have a really cute idea for a one-shot I'd like to share with you guys tomorrow, so if you're interested, let me know! Not so concerned with how many reviews I get, just that you're reading and liking/wishing for something/hating (although if so please at least be constructive! lol) my material so I know I should pop out more/where to head next. This one is short and sweet, but the one I have planned next is longer :) _**

**_I'm just as torn as you guys with Toby's involvement on the -A Team, and trust me, I'm pretty bummed. BUT, my goal with these oneshots was to align as much as possible realistically with the show, and since we do not YET know when Toby joined...please excuse any little hints at his membership. I still believe FULLY in my heart that he loves her, no matter what decisions - though I SOOOO do NOT agree with them at ALL! - the writers decide to make. SO. My guartentee here? Even if I do continue to drop little hints towards Toby being -A, you'll still get that feeling he loves Spencer more than anything._**

_**Many thanks and blessings! xoxo**_

_**Just Forget The World**_

* * *

"You're late!" Spencer grumbled, poking Toby square in the chest, "You were supposed to be here oh…" she checked her faithful watch, "FORTY minutes ago?! Toby!"

Colombian blue persuasions tipped their hat to the mahogany ones they often danced with as the breathless boy extended his apologies.

"I know, I'm sorry! You weren't waiting were you? Please tell me you were otherwise occupied…I feel awful."

"Yeah, well, you should. My parents are going to have to put in new carpeting from all the pacing I've done. Consider yourself fortunate, because by some miracle I didn't end up killing you by electric shock after all the moving of electrons courtesy of my socks…though, you know, you probably would deserve a static make over. Where the hell have you been, Cavanaugh? Weren't you ever briefed on proper date etiquette? You should never keep a lady waiting! Especially when she shaved her legs, put her hair through a heated torture chamber, and wrestled heels for you!"

Toby chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "If it's any consolation? You look amazing! I promise to make it up to you the rest of the night!"

Spencer didn't seem convinced or charmed, though the color in her cheeks did darken at her boyfriend's admiration of her efforts. Arms folded, she gave him quite the serious stare down.

"A little late for that, don't you think? There's no way we'll make it to the restaurant and get decent seats now…unless you'd like to join the dumpster divers out back in the alley and pull a Lady and The Tramp!"

Toby stuck out his bottom lip, "I know that our Dinner Theatre date was a bust…but I really think you should let your handsome boyfriend grovel at your feet and fix what he can't undo. Please?"

Spencer couldn't help but give in. How could she - or anyone- say no to THAT face?

She tampered with the collar of his jacket, her eyes fastened to his pouty plump lips, "Well, he DOES look handsome…"

"So?"

"Alright!" Spencer sighed, poking him again, "Sweep me off my feet! This better be good!"

Toby took her demand literally, laughing as he scooped her up into his arms bridal style. Spencer squealed in objection, but she still threw her arms around his neck, leaning into him as he escorted them to his truck.

Like the gentleman he was, and clearly an outstanding juggler, Toby managed to keep her in his arms as he opened the door for her. He lowered her into the passenger seat, and reached over to buckle her seat belt for her.

Spencer giggled. "I didn't mean literally…but you're definitely gaining some brownie points, oh chivalrous one. Okay…honey…I'm all for the Code of the Gentlemen, but I'm perfectly capable of fastening my own lap…okay then. Thank you."

Toby beamed, shutting her door and running around. His car already running, he slipped off his jacket, placing it comfortably around Spencer's shoulders. She was always cold, and after months of dating, he knew that.

Half of the time he wore jackets anymore was so she could wind up wearing them as needed. He didn't mind though, he'd share anything with Spencer. And what he was about to share with her next? He didn't think it could get any better.

"Hey, do me a favor, will you? Will you check my pockets for me? I can't find my phone…"

"I can call it—"

Toby shook his head, patting her knee, "No, that's okay. Fish away, fisherman."

Spencer eyed him, but nonetheless obeyed his request, "That's fisher-woman to you…no phone in here…just…tickets to see Snow Patrol August 7th in Philly at the amphitheater. Why would you have those?"

Toby was choking back a laugh, "Spencer, what's the date?"

"On the tickets? I just told you!"

"No…what is today?"

It took her a minute for her clocks to start clicking, but when they did, she held those two tickets up, her eyes full of enthusiasm.

"August 7th…Toby…you're not…we're not…are we…"

"That's right," he confirmed, "Looks like your Bye Bye Birdie dinner will have to wait for another time, because I'm taking you right now to go see Snow Patrol in concert!"

Spencer threw herself at Toby, though, it proved a challenge with her seat belt She unfastened herself, not even caring that she'd probably just bruised her shoulder, jumping into Toby's lap.

"TOBY! Are you serious?!"

"Well, it'd be a cruel prank to play, don't you think?" he asked softly, cupping her face.

Spencer's smile stretched for miles. Her eyes were like a planetarium filled with stars. "I can't believe you!"

The space between them was about as wanted as a sunburn, so she quickly knocked it out by pressing her lips against Toby's.

A wave of electricity ran through their bodies, enough to cause both of them to jump backwards a bit. Both of their hands went to their own respective lips.

Toby bit his lip. "Static electricity. That's what happens when opposites attract."

Pressing one last brief kiss, free of any static, against Toby's soft lips, Spencer removed herself from his lap, nuzzling against him, her fingers laced through his.

As Toby plugged in his iPod and the sweet, soft sounds of Chasing Cars began wafting through the adored vehicle, Spencer couldn't think of a better way to spend her night.

"Best surprise ever…" she whispered against his shoulder.

Even though her free hand brushed against her ticket, they both knew she hadn't meant the surprise concert; but the unexpected, surprising love and solace they'd found in each other that helped them both forget the world.


	35. Sous La Tour Eiffel

**Little slow on my updates, been sick and playing nurse at the same time to other family members...it's just been insane guys. I'm so sorry. By the time I get home I'm so exhausted! Yikes! It's funny that I had more free time taking classes than I do now :p Oh my. Is everyone ready for tonight? I am so not! I hear Andrew will be coming onto PLL...not too happy with that. STAY STRONG SPOBETTES! Thanks for your feedback, messages and reviews. They're amazing, just like all of you. I've been getting some prompts in, so if you want to see anything that fits into summer in this story, shoot them my way. You can do that here or on my tumblr which is nooneinthebackcanhearyou :) Hope your "Terrible Toby Tuesday" is manageable. It's not too late to stock up on chocolate, other junk food and head to the North Pole and join the rest of us in the spoby igloo! We have plenty of tissues - plus, penguins! I mean c'mon, if the penguins don't sell you, I don't know what will! I just wanted to let you guys know too, if anything at any point seems off in my writing...I made a "Pact" with a close friend not to watch this season. It's just too much. SO...While I DO catch up on spoilers after the fact, I may not always be 100% accurate. Regardless, I am still here if you need to vent/theorize. XOXO  
**

**Sous La Tour Eiffel  
**

* * *

If Toby Cavanaugh's hands were ever in need of first aid care, it was at this very moment. His hands were accustomed to being subjected to rigorous labor through his field of work constructing and repairing various things; they were consequently coarse and blistered, always warm to the touch. His nail beds were stained with dirt and oil, no matter how many times he obsessively cleaned them with force. Sometimes his hands were so raw they'd bleed after being abraded with soap and water, the bristles on the hand brushes he used to cleanse them too scuff. Today was different. He'd been hiding the proof of his hard work on his latest personal project with fingerless gloves and gauze, dabbing cortisone gel on his wounds to lessen the chances of infection and inflammation. Surely tonight though, as he unveiled his surprise for Spencer, she would take note of the wear and tears of his hands, despite his best efforts to grin and bear it. For tonight he had a very special, enchanting, extravagant whammy up his sleeve - or rather, technically bound in the back of his truck by bungee cords and tarp.

It hadn't been easy navigating this surprise from the workshop he often used with his boss' permission on weekends to complete this project, for it was high in stature, and bulky in weight and width. Toby was an astounding six feet, one inch, and this particular masterpiece - that he'd knicked his palms on several times bending wire for - was at least another foot his superior. He was surprised it hadn't come undone on the trek up to the hill that overlooked Rosewood; though he'd assessed for safety at every stop sign he encountered along the way. The last thing he needed was for this baby to come undone in the nest he'd created in the bed of his truck, go through someone's windshield, and saw them in half.

Lacking in breath, but sufficient in strength, the cerulean blue eyed heart-throb charted this whopping piece to the perfect center position between two trees. He kept the tarp in tact, not yet wanting to expose his work to the world - or nature. The air was humid, it was a typical summer day, but there were clouds lounging around overhead, and he was praying under his breath there would be no rain to dampen his night with Spencer.

Dusting off his hands, and wincing as he did so from the sting of friction between them, Toby began setting up the rest of his plan. It took him hours to complete, and though his stomach grumbled as a reminder that he hadn't eaten lunch, Toby didn't stop until the design was completed to absolute perfection. And Spencer thought _she_ was OCD! Ha! He'd obsessed over every single crevice and piece of smoothed wood on her rocking chair before giving it to her, and it was no different with this occasion. It had to be perfect! The night had to be perfect.

Their time together as a couple for the remainder of a mostly carefree summer - minus Spencer's summer course stresses - was dwindling down and would soon be in the single digits. Summer always went by far too fast for Toby, but even more so now that he was finally happy with his girlfriend, and the two were thoroughly enjoying their time together. They were closer than ever, and Toby wasn't ready for that to change, not again. Though, with the burdens he was hosting on his shoulders, surely it would be inevitable at some point. She was, after-all, Spencer Hastings. Nancy Drew. There was only so much that could get past her before she would catch on...

But alas, Toby didn't have time to think about that right now. Tonight was the only thing on his agenda. One day at a time. He was pretty sure all the worrying he'd done for the past few weeks over what he'd composed had already discounted a year from his life; he wasn't about to make it two years.

Making one quick trip into town to grab Spencer her favorite Italian dish that was served locally (he would have driven to Philly to get it from her favorite Italian restaurant if he hadn't been worried about the wait as well as the chances of her dinner cooling prematurely), he was finally ready for Spencer to arrive.

Breezing in at that precise moment, Spencer parked her car in her usual spot, deactivating the chugging of her engine. Why Toby had requested she wear something dressy, but not too dressy! - when they were just going to meet at the hill top was beyond her understanding, but she went along with his orders anyways.

Clad in a flattering, body hugging, white, laced panel knit dress with two spaghetti straps, and the length dangerously flirty above her knees, Spencer was dressed to kill. The sweetheart neckline exposed the glitter she'd brushed across her skin there leading upwards to her neck and shoulders. Her skin appeared to be glowing. Paired perfectly with a pair of flats, a few bracelets and her hair down in loose curls, the girl was stunning from head to toe.

Toby was equally handsome when her almond eyes alerted her to her boyfriend waiting for her a few feet away. He was in nice slacks, and a powder blue shirt that complimented not only his skin tone, but the shades in his eyes, making them pop out all the more for her pleasure. He was the definition of handsome, and for a moment her ability to breath became crippled. How her feet and knees hadn't also become crippled, it had to be a miracle. She could already smell the sweet, alluring, comforting scent of his cologne as the breeze tickled the strands of hair that rebelled against her scalp.

When she reached him, a curl was attached to her bottom lip, soaking in the watermelon lip gloss she'd applied in the car. Toby sweetly reached out, brushing it away with his thumb, before pressing a kiss to Spencer's forehead in greeting.

"You look beautiful," he breathed, his hands on each other upper arms, "You might have to remind me how to breathe again. I seem to be having difficulties in that department. What are the steps again?"

Already charmed by Toby's playful, sweet nature, Spencer stepped into his chest. Pressing her lips against his check, she let them procrastinate in that location before increased the elevation to his ear where she softly whispered.

"Close you eyes," she instructed, withdrawing to look at his face. When he did as asked, though he wore a goofy grin, she continued, unable to keep from smiling herself.

"Now, take a deep breath through your nose...pull me close, just like this...release through your lips."

As he exhaled, Spencer moved in, the refreshing scent of his toothpaste stinging her lips as she connected hers with his. After a brief, but loving, kiss, the two separated, their noses and foreheads still pressed together intimately. Spencer looked at him expectantly.

Toby's eyes slowly opened, the shades of his irises so much lighter now. They bore right into her as he spoke, barely audibly.

"Now I remember, though any longer and I would have forgotten again. You'd be giving me mouth to mouth."

Spencer giggled, tidying some of his hair against his forehead, "I thought that's what I was doing? Better luck next time, handsome."

She looked around, "So, what exactly are we doing here?"

Toby linked her arm through his and began escorting her to the very tip of the hill, "Well, I don't know what you're doing, but I intend on wooing for the remainder of the evening. Hopefully you'll be a willing participant to this experiment. Do me a favor? Stay right here. I'll be back."

Spencer obeyed his request, rubbing a hand up and down her right arm anxiously.

Reaching into his truck, Toby pressed play on his iPod, providing their ears with a playlist he'd created especially for them. It was made of every song that reminded him of her, every song with every word he'd ever wanted to say to her, but didn't quite know how to. It was songs he knew she loved, and songs he knew she's come to love. It was basically the soundtrack to their relationship. Activating the lights he'd strung carefully around the trees, Toby walked back to Spencer, reaching for her hand.

Spencer was in utter stupefaction; her breath latching to the back of her throat stubbornly as she took in the romantic view.

Toby had really outdone himself, but this still wasn't even the most of what he'd done. No, there was still more he had yet to unbosom for his lady.

Accepting the hand that was extended towards her, Spencer placed her free hand over her mouth, following Toby as he guided them up the trail. In the very center was a small round table for too, aglow with a five tier candle display, scattered with rose petals in reds, whites, and pinks. In the middle of the table, between the fine china laid out in proper alignment - a bonus to Spencer's obsessive ways with fine dining - was a dome shaped tray. What was inside was a mystery, but she was sure she would find out momentarily once her soul caught up to the rest of her body.

"Toby..." she gasped.

Toby pulled back a little curtain provided by one of the trees on either side of them, revealing his guitar on a stand.

"For later..." he promised.

Ushering her to her seat, he held out her chair for her, tucking and scooting her in when she was situated comfortably.

Spencer played her cloth napkin in her lap, her eyes still on Toby. He was so adorable doing all of this, just for her. Though, one of the forks was slightly misaligned, and she was really fighting temptation to put it in the correct spot. For Toby's sake, she ignored it, settling on the twinkle in his eyes as he opened the silver container to show the contents.

She let out another gasp, this time louder, her hands clamped against her heart in approval.

"For now," Toby laughed, "It's no Cicero's, but a little birdie told me this dish suits you just fine. Plus, I happen to know from experience, it is the one pasta dish you'll indulge heavily on and order seconds to take home for later."

She would have elbowed him if he was closer, but Spencer simply chuckled, wrinkling her nose as her boyfriend teased her. It just wouldn't be like him not to. She loved it though, especially when his teasing led to tickling, which usually led to kissing, which usually led to...

Toby cut off her inner fangirling session, popping open a bottle of sparkling cider and pouring some into her toasting champagne fluke. He next presented her with a single red rose, his fingers shaking.

"For the girl who has stolen my heart, the stars in the sky, my breath, and just about every shirt I own. Belle dame."

He way he altered his accent for her as he dubbed her a beautiful lady made her insides flutter; she was so in love with this boy before her. He'd already charmed her heart months ago, but right now it was as if he'd conjured a sunset, fireworks, and a gondola just for her. She had no doubt, however, that he someday would, if that's what she asked for. He'd stop at nothing to see her happy, and just knowing that set her heart on fire and ignited her bones.

"Toby," she rasped again, reaching up to brush his arm, "This is honestly so perfect. You're not...you're not going to propose next while the Mormon tabernacle choir sings, are you?"

The boy shook his head quickly, "What? N-no!" he winked at her, "Not today."

Her teeth sunk into her lip, something they did all too often whenever Toby did something that lit her up. She was shocked her bottom lip wasn't gnawed all the way through.

Glancing upwards, the cloaked item towering over them was hard to ignore, "What's behind curtain number three, my little Prince Charmant? A disco ball? The mother Russia statue?"

"No," Toby insisted, reaching out to tug on the tarp, letting it fall behind this gigantic piece he'd hand crafted until his hands bled each night and his neck was so stiff it was almost unable to turn properly the next morning. "But I think, ma petite mademoiselle, you'll still be pleased."

If Spencer's breath had failed her before, right now it was giving the times before a run for their money. She had to crane her neck as if she was front row in a movie theatre, taking in the beauty of the life-size Eiffel Tower Toby had crafted. How he'd bent everything to look so realistic was astonishing! She wasn't quite sure how long it had taken him to make this, but it was wonderful in every way possible. He'd even gone to the length of twisting fairy lights around it, lighting up their dining area.

A hand still placed over her heart, Spencer stood up from her seat, "Oh, Toby!"

He blushed, having seated himself while she was drooling over his reveal. "You told me you always wanted to have dinner under the Eiffel Tower...since I couldn't bring you to it, I brought it to you."

The steamy pasta seducing her senses was no longer a top interest to her now. When her jaw decided to be graceful, and her body remembered how to function, she pushed her chair out and curved around the small table, tugging at the back of his chair. Toby scooted it out, turning to face her, his eyes nervous.

Spencer flung herself into his lap, her arms bandaging across his neck as she held him close to her, her eyes shut as she inhaled his cologne. One hand reached up to affectionately stroke the back of his head, their bodies swaying to the side as tears sprung to her eyes.

"I know it's not the real thing but I tho-"

Spencer cupped his face, her lips crashing against his mid explanation. She kissed him until his lips responded, the kiss deepening in passion, speed, and length. Her fingers threaded through his hair, tugging and massaging, while she ditched being lady-like to straddle his waist in her dress. Toby returned her movements with keen interest, his hands coming around to the small of her back, not content with remaining immoble; they rubbed up and down. His hand reaching up to tenderly cup her cheek, he supported her neck as it rolled back for him to pepper kisses there.

The overwhelming, succulent aroma of their untouched dinner served as a pause button to their displays of affection, and the two soon unwrapped themselves from the other. Toby was about to stand up and return Spencer to her respectful seat, but Spencer declined that gesture, simply sitting side saddle in his lap instead, moving her dish over next to his.

With her in his lap, they took turns feeding the other, though there really wasn't anything romantic about messy pasta noodles and slurping sounds as they indulged. Apparently, Toby wasn't the only one that had neglected lunch, and both teens were famished.

They had to laugh when Toby got down to his last noodle, for he took one end in his mouth and stuck out his lip at her, waiting for her mouth to capture the other end. When it did, they both giggled madly as they chowed down, eliminating the length of the noodle, and in turn, the space between their lips.

That was the thing with them; they didn't care how foolish they were together. Cheesy was welcome. Spontaneous was a new friend. Laughter was always a constant. There was no pressure from the outside world when it was just the two of them, in places like this, in moments like these; where they weren't held to expectations for appropriate behavior or even table manners. It made these times all the more precious to the lovebirds.

Spencer could forget about her summer courses, her papers, her exams, her nagging parents, her sister.

Toby could forget about his snooping family, his job, the stresses weighing him down due to the black jacket he'd wear at night.

The only concern was for the other, and each heart was treated with special care.

After some time, the candles had dwindled down, the playlist had looped, and their stomachs were full with joy and delicious food. Thunder clapped overhead ominously as Toby settled into his seat across from Spencer and serenaded her with his sweet, lullaby-like voice and his trusty guitar.

Spencer's eyes watered for the second time that evening as she tried to dip her spoon into her Raspberry brûlée, Toby's voice of angels as he tried to convey every ounce of love for her into his rendition of Lifehouse's _You and Me_. She didn't know why he'd delayed singing to her for so long, his voice was phenomenal. It was just as calming as his speaking voice, and it did wonders to her soul, warming it like hot broth on a cold winter morning. She had to continuously remind herself that she wasn't a thirteen year old fan, flailing about a superstar's toes as he sang, but a seventeen year old young lady who always remained composed even if her insides were churning and her heart was hosting a parade the size of the Macy's Thanksgiving one put on yearly.

His song coming to an end- though she wished, as her palms supporting her cheeks and she blinked doe-eyed at him in a swooning manner, that it would never have to end - Toby smiled up bashfully at Spencer. She returned it by displaying her pearly whites, her cheeks flushed.

"Will you dance with me?" she asked, knowing Toby wasn't much for dancing.

They'd attended her cousin's wedding earlier that summer, and he was a complete klutz on the dance floor. She didn't think he had any rhythm, at least not with his feet. She knew otherwise for otherwise for his lips and hands, and his ability to play music like it was completely natural to him.

Still, she took the chance with the question, blinking at him with long, curled lashes. He could never turn down those pouty lips, right?

He groaned reluctantly, but nevertheless let her take his hands and pull him to his feet.

Spencer wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist, Spencer taking the lead. She wasn't quite tall enough, so she kicked off her flat and stood on the toes of his shoes, causing them both to find their laughter once more. Toby rocked them back and forth, bringing her as close to him as possible. They were both completely mesmerized by the other, their eyes covering every inch of their faces, their eyes, their lips, the dimples in their chins; how the freckles on their faces and necks aligned as if they'd been separated and had found each other.

Thunder turned into sprinkles, drizzling down on their flawless date.

Toby was certain that Spencer would want to make a run for his truck, but she too was full of surprises.

Tracing his face lovingly, the brunette bombshell met his eyes for a deep connection once more, before the two slowly ducked their heads for a long, slow, passionate kiss under the stars and the rain.

That's how the spent the remainder of their night... under the Eiffel Tower.


	36. Dedicated to You

**This is a one-shot that was requested. I posted it already on tumblr, but because the SPOBY TAG on tumblr is being invaded, it's impossible to get anyone to see what I post anymore lol. SO, if you already read this, I apologize for the repeat. If not, then enjoy! I know it doesn't tie in EXACTLY to the storyline I've been going by, being as this series is meant to take place over the summer, but I thought I'd post anyways. Lord knows we all need the fluff, especially after tonight. Thanks for everything guys! All my love. xoxo  
**

**Dedicated to You  
**

* * *

Spencer Hastings was the definition of dedicated. She prided herself on it. She was dedicated to her studies. She was dedicated to her extra curricular activities; student body club, chess club even, school event committee, field hockey, soccer; you name it, she'd throw her entire soul into it.

But when it came to dedication, there was nothing she was more devoted to than her boyfriend, Toby Cavanaugh. While for the most part she remained faithful to her prior avocations, there were occasional circumstances that led her to making last minute alternate arrangements for her time, blood, sweat, and tears.

Today fell under the category of semi-occasional cop-outs.

You see, today Toby was sitting duck to the flu, and Spencer doubted that his family (or Jenna) would jump in to come to his aid anytime soon, especially now that he lived exclusive of their chastising words.

Emily had offered that morning to stop by and bring him something when she picked up her paycheck at her place of occupation (The Brew), but Toby had refused her offer; claiming he didn't want to get her sick, too. Still, according to Emily, Toby sounded miserable on the phone, and Spencer was concerned.

That's when Spencer made the astonishing decision to ditch the last of her college courses wrap up for the day to play nurse with her boyfriend. He was always caring for her, in sickness or health, so now it was her turn to provide assistance to his well being.

A cup of soup, a bottle of 7up, a package of tissues, and a movie in hand, Spencer let herself into his loft, careful not to wake him as she caught a glimpse of his figure on the couch.

She somehow managed to check his temperature while he was asleep, even though he was typically a light sleeper. He always seemed on the alert, and often with their sleepovers, she'd be the one to drift into slumber first.

Sure enough, his temperature was slightly alarming, and it, along with the bucket near his feet, and the used tissues scattered across the coffee table, indicated that he was a very sick boy indeed.

So as he snoozed on in an effort to let his body heal itself and ride out his fever, Spencer got to it.

She slapped on a pair of sanitary latex gloves and began the task of completely sanitizing his bachelor pad; she left no corner untouched. When she was finished, she tossed a load of his laundry into the washer and began preparing his lunch. She was surprised he was still sleeping, but pleased that he was; he needed the rest.

She hated to wake him, but he really ought to take something for his fever and she didn't want his soup getting cold. Cautiously lifting his head, she replaced his pillow with her lap, stroking his damp hair affectionately. She used her opposite hand to dab at the beads of perspiration on his forehead and cheeks with a cold cloth.

She could honestly watch him sleep for hours and be perfectly content, but to let him sleep without getting proper treatment would be both foolish and greedy, so she rubbed his chest and caressed his cheek with the back of her hand.

"Toby…Toby? Toby, baby…wake up…it's me."

He came to after hearing her voice calling her name in her loving tone, his ocean eyes adjusting to the light she'd let into his loft by drawing up the blinds. Groaning, he reached a hand up to kidnap the one that was stroking his chest, holding her hand against his heart, his fingers laced into hers.

"Spencer?"

"Hi handsome. How are you feeling?"

With another groan, Toby sat up, his face immediately flushing.

Spencer retrieved the bucket for him just in time, and he purged what little was left in his stomach. Spencer had always been weakened by the smell and sight of vomit, but she rubbed Toby's back anyways, waiting for him to finish. When he did, she offered him the wash cloth, dabbing the corners of his mouth.

Handing him a cup of water, she eyed him carefully, "You okay?"

He shook his head, sniffling. "Sorry…"

"You're apologizing for your body's reaction to trying to kick this bug in the ass, something you hold no control over? Don't be silly. There's no reason to be sorry. I'm going to go dump this…and I think we should get you out of those clothes."

Toby raised a brow, sinking back onto the arm of the couch, too weak to stay completely elevated. He shivered, his eyes heavy with fatigue.

"I just put a fresh pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt into the dryer for you," Spencer explained, giggling at his expression, "Not trying to seduce you or anything. Simper down that concern a little, will you?"

After successfully helping Toby remove himself from his clothing, she assisted him in dressing in a clean, warm wardrobe change that would maximize his comfort, and then brought him down to lay on her chest.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, Spencer kissed his forehead repeatedly.

"I hate seeing you sick," she admitted rather pathetically, "My stomach is in knots and I feel like my heart just migrated to the pit of it."

"Hmm, maybe you should stay away from me, Spencer. You're being exposed to this bug, and I'd be so mad at myself if you got sick because of me."

Spencer framed his face with her gentle, supple hands, forcing him to look at her.

"Hey," she whispered, trying to sound stern but failing as her voice broke off into a melted tone of adoration, "I knew the risks when I came over to play doctor, for one. For two? The only person you could then be mad at is me…and the person that gave you this enjoyable virus that I'm sure you're just over the moon about receiving. Toby, I am not going anywhere. I mean it. I want to be here. I didn't just come here to fill the role of doctor, I came here to be your girlfriend. So, you are going to rest and regain your strength, and I am going to take care of you. You have no choice but to let me. Got it?"

Toby looked like he was about to argue, but the look on Spencer's face advised him not to. Pouting, he sunk further into her embrace, closing his eyes as he listened to the music sponsored by her heart.

He didn't quite know how he could thank her for this. Aside from his mother, no one had ever really taken care of him when he was ill. This meant the world to him, Spencer being here. Having someone to hold him, comfort him, just to be there? He could easily get used to this. Still, in his current state, there was no way he could properly repay her for her kindness.

So he settled on the the eight letters and three words he could offer.

"I love you."

Spencer nuzzled into him, a smile painting across her face. "I love you, too."

Even if her brain was running into overdrive and she was worried about what she was missing in her classes, she was more concerned over the boy in her arms. Plus, since she'd met Toby her heart had outweighed her brain…and her heart was very much focused on and dedicated to this wonderful boy. And that? Was something she also prided herself on being.


	37. Most

**Again, another prompt I received on Tumblr. It's short and sweet, but I hope you find it enjoyable regardless of length. As you can probably tell, this series is winding down to an end soon...for one, I haven't been getting as much feedback, and for two...summer can only last so long. If only it was longer than just a few weeks, right?! Boo. Hiss. LOL. Not saying that this is the last chapter, I'm sure I have a few more updates up my sleeve ;) I want to not only extend my thanks for your reviews and time, but also I want to extend my support for tonight. Stick together, Spobettes! True love MUST conquer all! Don't jump ship now!**

**Most**

* * *

If there was something about Spencer that Toby loved most, it was her failure to turn a cold cheek on a challenge, so he was ecstatic when Spencer agreed to sit through a Fast and Furious marathon on Netflix per request of Toby. It was only fair; he'd spent the better half of that weekend enduring two chick flicks (though, this he would never admit to Spencer, he actually found The Notebook to be tolerable) as she sobbed on his shoulder. Not that he minded consoling her in the least, and he loved every excuse in the book that got her that much closer to his body.

The pair had been four movies into the action series when, unsuccessfully, Spencer had dozed off into slumber curled up atop of him. Spencer was definitely unlike any other girl he'd had the privilege of knowing, but he never pegged her to be the type to sit through an entire night of movies when he was sure she'd much rather be out bowling or something productive. Plus, he didn't really think that she enjoyed this series anyways, so he'd been impressed when she'd made it through Tokyo Drift without so much as a complaint. Clearly, she wasn't impressed, and found her eyelids to be much more appealing because she'd fallen asleep not even five minutes into the next movie.

Her hand anchored into the bowl of Kettle Corn she'd prepared for them, she snored on lightly as Toby tried to aim his attention on the movie before him. But the appeal of flashy cars, explosions, and hot girls in skin tight clothing was decaying quickly. Releasing her hand carefully from the popcorn, Toby brushed off the crumbs and brought her knuckles to his lips. He kissed each one, paying special attention to her empty ring finger. Whether it was possible or not given his current predicament, Toby hoped to someday be the one to garnish that same finger with vows. Moments like these where she felt safe enough to catnap on his chest only firmed that desire. It was funny, really, how the pattern of his heart partnered with the movie title. His heart beat fast in her company, but the rest of him was furious that someday the inevitable would surely come, when she would uncloak his secret, and she'd be subjected to more danger because of it. The days where she slept on his chest and nuzzled into his neck or whispered his name in her sleep were limited, and deep down...maybe on the surface even...he was all too aware of that.

Deciding it was time to get Spencer to bed, because he knew that while she preferred cuddling up to him and using his body as a mattress, his bed was probably much easier on her back. Oh how Toby wished he could have this moment forever. Alas, Spencer hummed in her sleep, shivering.

His fingers probing along the coffee table, Toby located the remote and powered the television off. He tossed back the blanket that was draped over Spencer and carefully, but with ease, scooped her up into his steady arms; though there was nothing steady about his heart-rate.

He brought her into his room, making her comfortable on his mattress. Knowing that she was always cold no matter the state of the weather inside or out, he adjusted the thermostat and swaddled her body with blanket after blanket. He lay beside her for awhile…an hour…two maybe, just caressing the outline of her precious face; listening to her breathe. Every so often he'd push forward to bestow feather light kisses on her lips, nose, eyelids and temple.

When the alarm clock on his nightstand read 7:01, he knew that Spencer would awaken from her slumber shortly by habit; even if it was Sunday and they had no other previous obligations to attend to. He could have simply fell asleep with her like his eyes and body were urging him to do, but he defied that because Spencer had done something nice for him by suffering through a movie marathon that had filled up her entire evening and part of her morning. Now it was his turn to return the favor.

Only his favor would include breakfast. Waffles, to be specific. So he tiptoed into his kitchen to make use of appliances he'd neglected since his independence in the loft. Whipping together a breakfast consisting of Spencer's favorite - waffles with nutella, blueberries and strawberries, orange juice (no pulp), and a cup of fresh coffee (hold the cream!), Toby carried her gourmet meal of love into the bedroom. He smiled when he saw that she was awake, though she hid behind blankets that were up to her chin.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said warmly, joining her on the bed after steadying her breakfast tray below them, "I hope you're hungry."

She didn't say anything, but she beckoned him forward with the wagging of her index finger, her bottom lip becoming victim of her front teeth.

He smiled sheepishly at her, bowing down so that their noses were brushing. Spencer closed the gap, thanking him with her lips.

She sat up as he propped pillows behind her for support, and she quietly dined on her feast made by her doting boyfriend. Toby grinned in satisfaction and leaned against her shoulder, content with just being close to her.

Spencer was about halfway finished when she swallowed a bite, using the hand that wasn't preoccupied with a fork to ruffle his hair, "Would you like some?"

When she didn't get a reply, she looked down at him, "Toby? Toby? Tob..."

His eyes closed, his chest rose and fell peacefully as he dreamed about making breakfast for the girl he loved every morning. So, Spencer leaned down and place a gentle kiss against his lips, and now it was her turn to take the watching-of-loved-one-sleep shift.

Toby hummed this time, leaning into his girlfriend more heavily.

Correction: if there was something about Spencer that Toby loved most, it was how she kissed him good-morning after spending the night in his arms.


	38. Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better

**_Got another prompt/request on Tumblr that I thought might fit well in here. If you're not following me there and would like to my username is nooneinthebackcanhearyou :) Shoot me a message and I will happily follow you back. :) Again, you don't have to, not trying to promote myself - but I do often take and post short Spoby prompts there. I have a few more ideas for this story before it wraps, and I look forward to sharing them with you. You've all been great, and I could not ask for better, kinder, more supportive readers and friends. This one goes out to ALL OF YOU ; each and every one of you ; whether you review or not. Thank you. Truly._**

**_I now present to you: Spoby playing a sport together. Flirty, competitive Spoby with a side of Fluff. _**

**_If you've read this already on tumblr, I offer my apologies. If not, hope you find it suitable to your spoby craves! Also, sorry for any spelling errors as it was composed via phone. Reviews are like unicorns and rainbows. _**

**_xoxo. _**

**_Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better _**

* * *

"Now, just remember to keep your eyes fastened to the ball carrier at all times…which in this case…would be me."

Spencer bit her lip, bending her knees, her hands placed on them as she examined Toby through thick lashes.

" Shouldn't be a problem."

Toby's verbal sticky note was probably the least painful reminder she'd ever received. If she could make a career out of gazing lustfully at Toby while he paraded around shirtless with a football in hand, she'd enlist for every scholarship possible to attend whatever college out there that would permit just that.

A refreshing mist of late summer showers began descending from the ominous clouds superior to their height out on the field, wearing down the faded lines on the grass and dampening the mud piles like water being drizzled into dry paint.

The light overcast provided an disagreeable blanket of fog, and trying to gape over Toby as he distanced himself from Spencer was like trying to sight see through a roll of cling wrap; everything was slightly distorted. Still, it was refreshing; as the weather had been climbing to the top lately. The rain was needed.

And it was partially appreciated not just from the farmers nearby hating this drought, but for Spencer's dark irises. For the condensation allowed her to indulge in the view that was Toby Cavanaugh, sans shirt, coated with water droplets.

Determining the appropriate angle for pursuit, Spencer zoned in on her target, her sneakers digging into the grass. She hadn't exactly mastered how to grip and toss a football in their two hour session, as the erratic shape and lumpy laces crippled her ability to throw with accuracy. So now she and Toby had skipped ahead to the part where she had to steal the ball away from his colossal hands after charging at him.

Her long legs assisted her strides, though Toby was pretty impressive with his speed as he covered the distance of the field. This was one of their little drills.

Spencer had been exposed to just about every sport in existence, but tackle football was not one of them. She'd practically begged Toby to teach her, and he surprisingly was up for it, so this is how they'd been spending the better half of their morning, and now early afternoon.

It probably wasn't a festivity for a typical couple…but then again, nothing about them was ever normal.

Spencer was hot on Toby's trail, beginning to close the distance between his heels and her toes. Mocking her, he turned around, running backwards, a goofy smile plastered on his glistening face.

"You're not having difficulty keeping up with me, are you? I always thought we were on the same page…"

Spencer growled, beating at her brow with the back of her hand, "Go ahead and provoke me, Cavanaugh, and you just might find yourself in a separate book! You know it's not wise to rattle the cage of a tiger, right? There's no zookeeper here to ensure your safety."

Toby laughed, turning back around so his back was greeting her, "Ha! Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise! Keep sticking out that tongue and you'll either trip on your own cocky confidence and wind up with stitches as you plummet to pay tribute to the earth gods, or you'll be subjected to my claws! When you provoke a Hastings? They show no mercy."

Nearing the faded white line only a few strides away from victory, Toby whipped his head back to acknowledge the girl eating his dust. "Even if you do increase your speed, there is absolutely no way you're prying this football from my hands, Hastings."

Spencer snorted at him, grunting as she felt a cramp coming on in her side. Still, she pressed on, determined to make Toby eat his own words…or the mud.

"I think you'll find that your bulging muscles of steel are no match for my jumbo think tank!"

She could barely make out the charming sound of Toby's laugh before she pulled out the big guns. Yelping dramatically, Spencer grabbed at her ankle, coming to an eventual halt.

"Toby!"

His ears always alert to distress - especially when it came to Spencer - Toby slowed down, hitting the emergency brakes on his legs. He ditched the finish line, turning around completely, his voice no longer light with flirtation, but heavy with concern.

"Spencer?"

"I think…I think it's my astragalus!" Spencer panted, twisting her face to display her discomfort. She hissed, letting out a groan to follow as the caboose of her pity-train. "Toby, it hurts…"

Toby had already started jogging back to her, unable to make out her words due to the pick up of condensation, "Your what?"

In a completely typical tone of Spencer free of pain, but full of annoyance due to those around her being unable to comprehend her extensive, impressive vocabulary, Spencer raised her voice. Her eyes rolled upwards.

"The joint between my leg and foot commonly known as an ankle, Toby!"

Remembering that she was meant to be in character, she turned up her whine-a-dial, "Ooooh, Toby! It hurts, it hurts so bad! I think I sprained it."

"We'll get you some ice," Toby offered, though he was still pretty far from her curved over figure, "And some water. That'll decrease the swelling and give you a cool down."

Spencer's head snapped up, a devilish smirk fresh on her wet face, "Actually," the fire ignited in her eyes as she snarled at her prey, "I've got a better idea for cooling off."

Ready to nail the ball carrier, Spencer took off into a full charge now, aiming at Toby with a scary look of determination that cemented his feet into the ground. His gulp echoed instead of mixing in the with the rain.

Soon Spencer was flying through the air as if she had wings and had downed a full gallon of Redbull; it was as if someone had strapped a turbo pack of ignition to her back. She was coming at Toby, and fast. He didn't stand a chance. All he could do was watch on helplessly as his girlfriend soared through the air, her eyes in tiny slits.

He surrendered the ball unconsciously as her hands pressed into the front of his shoulders, gasping as Spencer let her entire body weight -which was pretty much nothing - collide into him like a bumper car gone crazy. His back hit the mud puddle, his feet up in the air, giving out.

Spencer remained on top of him, growling as some of the mud came up to kiss her neck and cheeks.

"I may not like dirt," she explained, pinning Toby down completely, "But I like playing dirty. You know, some kids grow up making and gorging down mud pies…just like I practically sipped coffee from my bottle. But for you? You'll have to let me know if mud is an acquired taste!"

Toby couldn't believe it! Spencer had outsmarted him even though he'd had the upper-hand. Her inexperience didn't matter so long as she brought her noggin into the equation. It was both frustrating, and sexy.

Groaning as his body screamed at him for not wearing any padding that day, Toby hugged Spencer to him, bringing up his free hand to stroke her jaw, "I think you just committed a foul."

Dragging her nails down his arms, Spencer chuckled. "What can I say? When I make promises? I keep them. Besides…"

She brought her lips down to tickle his, "I thought the whole point of tackle football was to actually tackle the opponent."

Toby captured her lips with his, melting into her. After a few moments, both withdrew from each other, blinking back the down fall of rain.

"Hmm," Toby teased, shooting her an adorable smile as he tickled her obviously uninjured ankle, "Tackling books, spelling bees…my heart. What's next on your agenda? The world?"

"Not quite yet. I think I better obtain a diploma before I set my sights on becoming the ringleader of the universe. Right now? The only thing I want to tackle is the S-H-O-W-E-R. I'm a mess! So are you!"

Pushing her up with ease, Toby pulled himself to a stand, offering his hand to Spencer, pulling her up to hug. He pecked her lips, drawing back, his hands still parked on her hips.

"Well…I can think of one way we can conserve water…"

Spencer swatted at his chest, "Toby Cavanaugh! If you're implying what I think you're implying…"

"Well, not right now I'm not, but if that's what you want…"

A pinch to his neck made him rewind, and he laughed.

"Okay, okay…sorry. We've got a shower…see? You know what they say…when it rains? You just have to dance in it!"

Watching as Toby took off, Spencer smiled brightly.

She was soaked to the bone, her outfit completely ruined by the mud they'd just rolled around in, and she was pretty sure the mascara she'd put on that morning was now running like waterfalls down her face; yet she couldn't have been happier.

Maybe she wasn't a master at every sport, and maybe she hadn't been able to steal that football after all…

Spencer leaned down to pick up the ball, chucking it at Toby, her eyes narrow.

He caught it and took off running, and she braced herself to follow.

…but she had stolen Toby's heart, and that was the best prize she could have ever obtained.


	39. The Best Remedy for a Heart Hangover

**Wow! It's been months, hasn't it? I am terribly sorry. I have honestly lost inspiration for both NWHE and this story. It's VERY discouraging when you see stories with characters that are so poorly written, storylines that are utterly terrible and unrealistic, and people stealing your material - Is having Spencer be a teacher really that popular now? Out of ALL the careers? Yeah, okay. I'm real convinced - I really just...needed a break. I am extremely thankful to the readers that have stuck by me and continue to read my material. It's really sad that one of the robbers of my material/lines has now gained a few of my original readers...shame. Kind of makes me wonder when their writing has done a complete 180 and starts sounding EXACTLY like mine...I can't be the only one that has noticed; but apparently I'm the only one who will speak up about it. Since there is no way for me to block the said culprits, I can only speak up here. Oi. So my friends, this frustration mixed in with lack of reviews, multiplied by loss of inspiration (Oh, muse, you have a wicked sense of humor!) are the causes of the halt on this story. I am really going to put my best foot forward to keep writing chapters for both this AND NWHE. :) Thank you for being patient and understanding. As always, I welcome prompts, and I welcome your feedback. I truly enjoy hearing from you all. You're amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you! **

**This is another tumblr inspired original, which explains the short length. xo. **

_The Best Remedy for a Heart Hangover_

"Thank god you're here!" Emily cries, jumping out of the cherry lounge chair she'd been seated in prior to Toby's arrival, "I'm late for my meeting with the university! I'm sorry I can't stay!"

Toby waves her off, leaning slightly into the ghost-of-a-cheek-kiss his best friend passes him on her way out.

"Get out of here! Your duties are officially passed on. Oh, Em? Good luck! Show them what they're missing, because it's a lot!"

Emily smiles at him nervously, before flying out the door, shutting it behind her.

The curtains are still drawn from the night before, and though it is nearing afternoon, Toby still finds Spencer's room too dark to navigate safely through. He blindly finds his way to the slight peek in the curtains where the sun outside is playing peek-a-boo. He draws back the curtains, and rays of sunshine cascade into Spencer's room, chorused by the chirping of birds lounging outside her window.

Now he can finally get a decent look at the room he's standing in, and when he does, his eyes feel as though they are deceiving him.

The compulsively up-kept bedroom belonging to his girlfriend has been tornado-ed into a dump. It looks like her room is in the running for a hoarding contest. There is food everywhere. Papers strewn about. Clothes in mountains. It's so unlike Spencer he worries for a moment, wondering if she'd somehow been robbed.

For a moment, he also wonders if Spencer is even alive; afraid that when he peels back her covers he'll find a corpse bathing in blood.

But alas, to ease his fears, there comes a long groan from the bed in front of him.

"Spence?"

His feet make haste in traveling to the side of her bed, where his rear takes up residence next to Spencer's curled up figure. He pokes at where he believes her hips to be, dismantling the duvet that is keeping his butterfly in a cocoon of avoidance.

Spencer growls at him, though he can't really see her face; her hair is like a veil.

"Rise and shine, beautiful. I would say good morning, but it's long past."

She groans once more, latching her fingers around the corner of the comforter in an attempt to cover her face again.

" 'S too bright in here…"

Toby cocks his head to the side, reclining a bit forward so that his side and elbow support his weight.

"Rough night last night?"

"You wouldn't believe."

"I might, if you told me. See, by the looks of it, you were robbed. Or there was a natural disaster that selected your room as a guinea pig pilot before it decides to reek havoc over the rest of Rosewood. Or you had a little too much fun with your new college buddies."

Spencer rolls over, her backside to her boyfriend.

"How much did you have to drink last night? How did you get home?"

Another grunt.

"Toby. My head and my stomach have already gone through the wringer. Please don't subject the rest of me to your solicitations of catechism before I've had any coffee or Advil."

Toby sighs, letting his head rest on one of her pillows. He rolls over onto his back, playing connect the dots with her ceiling.

"I just wanted to make sure you arrived home the safe way, Spencer."

He pauses, "Tried calling you last night. And texting you. I guess you can delete the string of voice-mails I left you last night, too."

If ever there was anyone who knew exactly how to play up guilt, it was Toby Cavanaugh.

Tossing, Spencer faced him, having a gander at her boyfriend, though she kept the blankets firmly around her.

"I'm sorry. I haven't checked my phone since yesterday afternoon. Were you worried terribly?"

He shrugs.

Spencer bats at her face, heavy with fatigue. "Remind me again never to go to a sorority meet and greet. The tests they put you through are brutal, but not as brutal as the morning after hangover you're treated to. I wanted so badly to fit in. I don't think this was the right club for me. I should have realized that before I took as many shots as I did. I don't remember much after, but I do know I took a cab home. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"So you're done playing college then?"

"I am. For now on I'm sticking to being in my last year of high school on spring break while I can still enjoy it. No more college mingling until college. Promise."

Spencer dabbed at her forehead, cringing.

"The only mingling I want to be doing right now is with my pillow. I bet I look a mess, don't I? I feel awful."

He looks over at her gingerly, brushing some hair from her eyes. "You look beautiful. You always look beautiful. Can I get you anything?"

Spencer smiles at him, nuzzling her head against his hand. "Hmmm… a magical eraser so I can ditch the night I had for a night with my loving boyfriend instead. Think you can do that?"

"I do not possess those powers," Toby laughed, "But I do have feet. And hands. They are more than willing to fetch you anything else your heart desires."

"In that case…something for the gong that's internally resonating in my head?"

He smiles toothily at her in return, placing a quick, but gentle, kiss to her temple.

"Be right back."

He returns a few moments later with a tray full of goodies.

"Water and orange juice, to help you replenish the liquid and the vitamins you've no doubt lost over the last 24 hours," he announces.

Spencer raises her eyebrows, laughing. "Did you drain the entire Rosewood Water Tower and rob Georgia of all their oranges just for this?"

He doesn't seem to find her humor interesting, so he continues with an explanation for everything else he's brought her.

"Some toast, some crackers…I know you want coffee, but that will only add to your dehydration. I brought you something for your head too."

Spencer smiles up at him, reaching her hand out from under her fort. "What would I do without you, huh?"

Setting the tray down on her nightstand, Toby kicks off his boots. He sinks into the bed beside her, raking his fingers sensually through hers.

"You'd probably end up on the back of a milk carton after your room swallowed you whole."

She giggles despite her head pain, lowering his hand to her lips. She kisses his knuckles one by one, before rubbing her face against them.

"How is it that I ended up with the best boyfriend in existence?"

His blush was unmistakable, though he tried to hide it.

"While all these things are supposed to help shrink some of your symptoms, I think the best remedy is a retreat under the covers. Looks like you've already done that."

"What about my heart?"

"Your heart…?" he asks, waves of worry flashing over his baby blues.

"Yeah," she rasps, "It seems to be pulsating abnormally. It's like it's suddenly experiencing rapid acceleration. Surely this rate can't be normal."

She takes his hand, releasing it from hers; placing it over her heart. Smiling up at him, she uses her free hand to lift the blankets for him to join her in her little comfort cave.

"I don't think that's part of the hangover though. At least not from the consumption of alcholol. This? This is your doing. See how it beats like that for you and you only? You don't have to be here being sweet either. It's not just your presence that sets it off. No. All I have to do is think about you and my pulse regresses back to this beautiful chaos."

Toby's shade deepens at his girlfriend's words. He ducks under the covers, pulling them entirely over their now inter-wreathed bodies. He gazes at her intensely for awhile, before he guides his lips towards hers.

Spencer meets him halfway, and they kiss slowly, lovingly.

"Mmmm," Spencer purrs against his lips, "I don't think that helps matters. You see, now I have goosebumps and my skin feels as if it's on fire. I'm also starting to see stars…"

He kisses her again, a bit more intense this time.

"How are you feeling now?"

Her eyes remained closed in absolute bliss as his minty-fresh breath tickles her nose and lips.

"I'll let you know when I stop floating…"

This time, she kisses him, her hands coming up to anchor his face to hers.

When they at last withdraw breathlessly, Toby places lazy kisses against her eyelids, nose, forehead, and chin.

"Now?" he asks.

"I don't think my heart will ever be the same. You've come in and completely intoxicated me. And frankly? This is one hangover I don't want cured."

They cuddle up together, stealing kisses and glances, before they fall into a late afternoon snooze.

**Thank you for reading! **


	40. One Scoop, One True Love

**As promised, I'm back and so is this story. The summer has pretty much come to a halt for our favorite lovebirds, but I'll try and find a way to extend the remainder of this story so long as people are actually reading it. I do hope you enjoy! This chapter is a fully supplied installment of Spoby summer fluff, complete with ice-cream. Pretty please leave me some feedback, with a cherry on top. :) thank you! **

_One Scoop, One True Love_

* * *

Summer having dwindled down to the first fine days of Autumn, Spencer and Toby's leisurely time together had just about expired like a carton of milk. It was nearly September now, but that didn't stop the sizzling sun from baking her villagers below.

It was a weekend afternoon, and Spencer and Toby had just returned from a day at the local community pool that was freshly installed. After having their blistering skin air-conditioned by the tropical waters - or so it felt like, to them - the devoted duo decided they would take a bike ride up to the ice-cream shop in the heart of Rosewood.

Their reward for conquering the steep hills was the satisfying, fragrant scoops of silk swaddled in waffle cones. Spencer settled on just one scoop of luscious peach, while Toby indulged in endless towering scoops of Superman ice-cream.

"Superman ice-cream for my own personal superman," Spencer proclaimed, following her boyfriend - who had, like a true gentleman, paid for their mouth-pleasing entities - around the corner.

The tables were absorbed with an abundance of equally dehydrated teenagers; the ice-cream shop being the most popular go-to in town that day. With the continuous rising of heat, the air muggy, it wasn't a surprise to Spencer at all that she and Toby couldn't find seats.

Toby, always one to be easy-going, reserved them a spot down the hill a bit. He slid up on the railing of a boutique, patting the spot beside him for his leading lady to occupy.

Spencer smiled at him, amused by how his tongue managed to wrap around his now softening scoops of creamy, primary tinted heaven. He slurped as he did so, and she couldn't help but giggle. He was polite, and his manners were often surpassing of her expectations (and of her family's thankfully) but when this boy was hungry he ate like a dog.

While most would find it not the least bit attractive, Spencer found it adorable. Instead of using his napkin, as she was doing, he used his wrist as a safe guard; liking his sticky skin as rebellious ice-cream skied downward.

"I don't even know where to start," Spencer chuckled, "There's so much. I didn't think one scoop translated into a spoonful the size of my head. This is going to be ice-cream soup in a matter of seconds if that blazing inferno continues to give shout outs to Hades."

"We should have gone swimming _after _we had our treats," Toby agreed, lapping up in between words. "Star with the bottom…oh, wait. My bad. I forgot you were a top kind of girl."

Spencer's mouth flew open in stupefaction. "Toby! Maybe next time you ought to order Chocolate Mint to cleanse that dirty mouth of yours!"

Unsatisfied by the rate at which her sweet-tooth-soother was transforming into liquid and dripping down her arms onto her lap, she groaned.

Toby took it upon himself to jump in like the hero he was. He grabbed Spencer's hand, encasing it in his own. She gasped as he dragged the cone she was enveloping in her first across the tip of his tongue. He glossed over the bottom, spinning the cone in circles to ensure he covered the basics. Then be began working upwards, lapping up all the stubborn masses before they could dive onto Spencer's clothes.

"There."

Spencer gazed on at him in shock, "That was my ice-cream…"

"There's still plenty left. I was only aiming to help!"

She used her hand that was free of sticky residue to ruffle his hair, her teeth anchoring into her bottom lip. "I know. Thank you. Guess you really are Superman after all, aren't you? My hero."

He blushed at her words, hiding behind his cone. Noticing her staring - though Spencer was FINALLY decreasing the size of her own cone - Toby extended his to her.

"C'mon. It's only fair. I ransacked your peach scoops."

"I've never had that flavor before," Spencer admitted, raising the cone to her lips, "Will I like it?"

"Trust me," Toby beamed, "You'll want to trade."

"Hmm…mmmmmm…this IS good. You have such superb taste!"

Toby's eyes softened lovingly.

"Of course I do…I've got the heart of the most beautiful girl in the world in my hand and I wouldn't exchange that for anything."

The pair continued to exchange adorable babble and pass the torch of crimson cheeks, their cones going down with the sun.

Toby had already finished his ice-cream, and he was gazing at Spencer, his eyes unwavering.

Feeling conscious of the sudden undivided attention from her boyfriend, Spencer frowned.

"Why are you staring at me? Stop it."

"Because I like your face," Toby cooed, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of chestnut curls behind her ear.

Still self-conscious, the brunette bookworm used her free hand to rub her nose and dab at her face.

"Well, do I have something on it? Toby?"

Toby's loving smile took a bow, his eyes looking upon Spencer with a heightened intensity.

"Yeah," he said breathlessly, his voice heavy with a dreamy tone.

Spencer retrieved her napkin, wiping it along her face in frustration. "Toby, where? Toby! Toby…can you please help me get it off? Where? Where do I have…?"

His arm came to wrap around her shoulders, his hand rubbing up and down her bare, sun-kissed arm. He lowered his voice into the softest song of compliments Spencer had ever received- and she reckoned it was the best summer hit she'd heard that season.

"Yeah. Just the stars you stole from the sky and put into those chocolate eyes, the freckles that mirror mine, and the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. I don't think it's possible to wipe that off…well, everything with the exception of your smile. But I'd never dream of erasing that. I'd only ever want to make it expand."

Spencer's vision fogged with hot tears at the sincerity behind his poetic words. She used her unoccupied hand to squeeze his thigh, before transferring it to his chin, which she turned closer for a better angle.

She gazed directly into his aquatic eyes - knowing that not only was this sweet, beautiful boy her home, but her vacation.

"If there's a smile on my face? You're the reason. You're my reason for many things, Toby."

"You're my _only _reason," he responded softly, mesmerized by the earnestness of her expression.

They leaned in mutually to exchange a heart felt, spine-chilling kiss; the length of it the cause of their loss of breath when they at long last allowed their lips to depart from the addicting vacancy of the other.

The couple continued to enjoy the remainder of their evening, their hands clasped together as they strolled along the stoned streets, perfectly content to be that way.

Spencer had always particularly favored fall and winter…but now? Now summer was by far her leading season, and the boy his fingers vined with hers so perfectly was the reason.

He brought down fluffy bits of heaven like winter…broadened the colors of her world like fall…but warmed her heart like the finest summer day.

And not even the glorious, refreshing taste of peach ice-cream could ever top that.

Toby was the cherry on top of the sticky sundae that was her life.


End file.
